AUCTION MADE EASY 



BY THE SAME AUTHOR 

PIRATE BRIDGE 
FOSTER ON AUCTION 
FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 



E. P. BUTTON & COMPANY 



FOSTER'S iy,y 

AUCTION MADE EASY 

A Text Book for the Beginner, 
the Average Player and the Expert 

BY 

R. F. FOSTER 

Author of 

"Foster on Auction," "Foster's Pirate Bridge," "Foster's 

Russian Bank," Inventor of The Eleven Rule. 

AND THE SbLF-PLAYINQ CaRDS. 

Card Editor of The New York Tribune 




NEW YORK 

E. P. BUTTON & COMPANY 

68i Fifth Avenue 



Copyright 1920 
By E. P. BUTTON & COMPANY 



All Rights Reserved 



Printed in the United States oj America 



©CI.A571343 

JUN2I 1920 



A WORD TO THE READER 



In the following pages there are no theories 
advanced, no reasons assigned for the system of 
bidding and play, no explanations given. You 
are simply told to do certain things with certain 
combinations of cards, and the author guaran- 
tees that if you will follow these directions con- 
scientiously and consistently, no one will be 
more astonished than yourself at the improvement 
in your game. 

Auction is not the complicated game that some 
persons imagine. As the name implies, it is a 
bidding game, and the bidding is the principal 
part of it. As all bids must be made on the 
cards held, and as there are only a few possible 
combinations that are worth a bid, it should be a 
simple matter to classify them, and state the bids 
that should be made upon them. This part of the 
game is purely mechanical, based on the mathe- 
matical expectation of averages, just like an 
insurance policy. Any person of ordinary in- 
telligence should be able to learn it. 

Wlay these bids should be made on the cards 
indicated, it is not the purpose of this work to 



vi A WORD TO THE READER 

state. That is for the more elaborate treatises on 
the game, such as " Foster on Auction." The 
pupil in school is not told why a pint of liquid is 
equal to a pound of weight, and the reader of these 
pages is not told why five hearts to the ace king 
should be good for the odd trick if hearts are 
trumps, and you play the hand. 

All one has to do to become a first-class player 
is to read the directions in these pages and follow 
them at the card table. The mathematical per- 
centage of the game will do the rest. The best 
test of your improvement is not how many rub- 
bers you win, but their value. If the average 
value of the rubber you win is anywhere from ten 
to fifty points greater than the average value of 
the rubbers you lose, you are a fine player. 

The following table of contents is so arranged 
that the reader may turn at once to any part of 
the tactics of bidding or play upon which he 
wishes to refresh his memory, or improve his 
game. If you cut into a rubber with persons 
who do not know these principles, or who do not 
apply them, you will have as much the best of it 
as if you were playing backgammon with loaded 
dice, because there is no game in the w^orld in 
which the percentage in favor of sound bidding 
and play is greater than in auction bridge. 

R. F. Foster. 

The Savage Club, London, 
1920. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 



PAGE 

Classes of Hands 1 

Theee Kinds op Bids 3 

Classes op Suits 4 

One-suit Hands 5 

Two-suit Hands 8 

Rebidding Two-suiters 13 

Two Equal Suits 16 

Three-suit Hands 18 

Inviting No-tbumpeks 21 

Some Exercises 22 

When the Dealer Passes 24 

After Two Passes 24 

After Three Passes 27 

The Partner 28 

Denying and Overcalling 28 

Taking out No-trumpers 31 

Taking out Major Suits 34 

Taking out Minor Suits 36 

Exercises 38 

The Assist 39 

Assisting No-trumpers 39 

Assisting Suit Bids 42 

Trump Values in Assisting 43 

Suit Values in Assisting 44 

Rebidding after an Assist 46 

Assisting after Rebids 49 

Forced Bids 51 

vii 



viii TABLE OF CONTENTS 

PAGO 

Secondaet Beds 55 

AssisTiKQ Secondaet Bids 66 

Doubling 57 

Doubling after an Assist 60 

Dei^nse to the Double 61 

The Business Double 63 

Saving the Game 65 

The Plat 67 

Against Teump Declarations 67 

The Suit to Lead 67 

The Card to Lead 69 

Leading Small Caeds 71 

Some Exercises 72 

V Leading to Secondaet Bids 73 

The Leader's Partner, with a Trump 75 

Asking for a Ruff 76 

Encouraging Cards 77 

Returning Suits 77 

Shifting Suits 78 

Leading against No-trumpers 79 

The Leader's Partner, at No-trump 82 

The Eleven Rule 83 

Second Hand Plat 85 

The Discards 86 

The Declarer's Plat 88 

Finessing 89 

Declarer's Trump Management 92 

Declarer's Plat, Second Hand 94 

Declarer's Plat, at No-trumps 97 

Ket to the Exercises 102 

Glossart of Technical Terms 109 

The Laws of Auction 119 



AUCTION MADE EASY 



AUCTION MADE EASY 



CLASSES OF HANDS 

It is taken for granted that the reader knows all 
about the preliminaries of cutting, dealing, the 
order of bidding, and the ranks of the suits. We 
shall therefore start on the supposition that he is 
the dealer, and holds in his hand thirteen cards, 
with the privilege of making the first declara- 
tion, no score. 

The thirteen cards that he holds must belong 
to one of six classes of hands : 

1. Hands in which there is no strength. 

2. Hands in which the strength is all in one suit. 

3. Hands in which the strength is divided un- 
equally between two suits. 

4. Hands in which the strength is divided about 
equally between two suits. 

5. Hands in which the strength is distributed 
among three suits. 

6. Hands in which there is some strength in 
every suit. 

By " strength " is meant cards that will prob- 
ably win the first or second round of a suit if 



2 AUCTION MADE EASY 

that suit is led. They are usually referred to as 
" quick tricks," or " tops," such as aces, king- 
queen suits, or guarded kings. Suits surely 
stopped later, such as queen-jack-ten, are not quick 
tricks. Queens, jacks and ten have no quick- 
trick value except in combination with higher 
cards. 

It is highly important that a player should be 
able to recognize at a glance the class to which 
any hand belongs, and a beginner should deal 
out some actual hands and run over them for 
practice. Here are examples of each class; any 
card below the 10 being indicated by " x," its 
exact value being immaterial : 





No. 1 




No. 2 




No. 3 


7 


XX 


V 


AKJxx 


^ 


X XX 


•* 


KJxxx 


^ 


XX 


^ 


X X 





Qxx 





XXX 





A X X 


♦ 


XXX 


♦ 


XXX 


♦ 


AQJxx 


NO STRENGTH 




ONE SUIT 




TWO SUITS 




No. 4 




No. 5. 




No. 6 


7 


KQJx 


7 


X X 


^ 


KQx 


<^ 


X x 


* 


A X X 


* 


KJlOx 





XXX 





KQxx 





A X X 


♦ 


AKxx 


♦ 


KJlOx 


♦ 


Kxx 


TWO EQUAL SUITS 




THREE SUITS 




FOUR SUITS 



Each of these, except the first, is worth a bid of 
some kind. What that bid should be depends on 



CLASSES OF HANDS 3 

the number of cards in the various suits, and the 
liigh cards at the head of those suits. There are 
five classes of bids, which are sometimes referred 
to as "calls"; clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades, and 
no-trumps. These are made under one or other 
of three conditions, each forming a class. 

Three Kinds of Bids 

Free bids. When a player makes a bid which he 
is not required to make (in order to overcall a 
previous bid, for instance), it is called a free bid. 
The dealer's bids are all free bids; or the first 
bid made to his left if he passes. 

Forced Bids. After the bidding has been 
started, any bid that overcalls a previous bid 
must be regarded as a forced bid. It mg^y be 
that the hand is quite strong enough for a free 
bid, such as one spade over one heart, but that 
must not be assumed, because once the bidding 
for the contract is started, the players must put 
up some kind of a fight and bid what they have, 
even if it is not up to the standard required for a 
free bid. 

Secondary Bids. Any bid which is made at the 
second opportunity, after having refused to make a 
free bid on the first round, is called a secondary 
bid. When two bids are made by the same 
player, each in a different suit, the second one is a 
secondary bid; and both of them may be second- 
ary upon occasion. 



4 AUCTION MADE EASY 

All bids have one of two objects, and free bids 
should have both, or they are unsound. They 
show the declaration that you would like to have 
for the play of the hand; or they show where you 
can win some tricks, either in assisting your 
partner with a better call, or in defense, if the 
adversaries get the contract. 

The suit bids being more numerous and more 
often played than no-trumpers, we shall con- 
sider them first. 

Classes of Suits 

The four suits are divided into two classes, 
major and minor. The major suits are hearts and 
spades, sometimes called " game-going suits," 
the minor are clubs and diamonds. In no-trump- 
ers, the suits have no rank. The distinction be- 
tween major and minor suits is very important, 
length being requisite in the major suits; high 
cards in the minor. 

The distinction may be impressed on the mem- 
ory by the axiom: Major-suit bids ask for assist- 
ance; minor-suit bids offer it. 

The majority of the hands played are with 
hearts or spades for trumps, and these suits are 
invariably declared in the hope that they will 
eventually be the trump for that deal. As numeri- 
cal strength in trumps is essential, in order to 
exhaust or outlast the adversaries, length is one 
of the fundamentals for major-suit bids, and five 



CLASSES OF HANDS 5 

cards is generally regarded as the minimum. 
With only four, there should be three or four top 
honors. 

The minor suits are usually declared for the 
purpose of showing where the partner may find 
assistance for a better contract of his own choos- 
ing, or where he may look for help in case the 
adversaries get the contract, and the game is 
in danger. The minor suits, clubs and diamonds, 
do not require the length that is demanded of the 
major suits, because they are not declared in the 
hope of their being the trump; but in the hope that 
they will win tricks apart from the trump suit, 
or at no-trumps. Four cards are enough, or 
even three, if they are very strong, such as three 
top honors. 

There are cases, of course, in which a minor 
suit may be very desirable for the trump, especially 
at an advanced score, when five by cards is not 
necessary to win the game. There are other 
cases in which minor suits may be called to show 
that the hand is worthless for any other contract; 
but these are invariably either forced or secondary 
bids. 

We shall now see how these different classes of 
bids and suits apply to the various classes of 
hands. 

One-suit Hands 

Beginning with the strongest combinations pos- 
sible, such as the following, the original call or 



AUCTION MADE EASY 



free bid is limited by the number of cards in the 
suit. 



@ 




These are so strong that they justify a free bid 
of one, even with only four cards in suit. With 
five cards, they are still only one-trick bids; but 
with six in suit the first bid should be two tricks; 
with seven in suit, three, and with eight in suit 
four. 

Proceeding to the next lower combinations, we 
find only three that justify a free bid on the suit 
itself, apart from any tricks in other suits. These 
aiie: 





O 




<> 


<> 
















CLASSES OP HANDS 7 

All cards below the ten are immaterial. 

If these are major suits, there must be at least 
five cards. If they are minor suits, four, or even 
three, may be enough. The shorter a plain suit, 
the more likely it is to go round several times 
without being trumped. 

These three combinations are the key to all 
sound bidding, and should be thoroughly memo- 
rized. They are the standard minimum, as any 
weaker combination is not worth a free bid unless 
there are tricks in other suits to support it. 

Some players will not call a suit headed by 
K Q J, unless there is another trick in the hand 
somewhere. This is too timid a game, and is 
losing opportunities to indicate assisting or defen- 
sive strength while it is cheap to do so. 

These three standard combinations are free 
bids of one with five cards in suit. With six cards 
in either of the major suits, bid two. With seven 
cards bid three. With eight cards, bid four. 

Never call more than one in a minor suit, clubs 
or diamonds, unless you are long and strong 
enough to call four or five. There is no such bid 
as two clubs or diamonds, except as a convention, 
which will come later. 

' One of the most important rules about calling 
one-suit hands, is to bid all the suit is worth the 
first time, and say no more about it. One of the 
worst faults in bidding is going to the bargain 
counter with a long suit, such as seven hearts to 
the A K J, starting with a bid of one and then 



8 



AUCTION MADE EASY 



advancing it to two or three if it is overcalled. 
We shall see the reason for this when we come to 
two-suit hands. 

A player may advance his partner's take-out, 
or help the partner's call, a trick at a time; but 
that is quite a different matter from advancing 
his own suit, when he has nothing in his hand out- 
side that suit. 

Two-suit Hands 

We come next to the combinations that are not 
strong enough to justify a free bid, as they fall 
slightly below the standard. These are of two 
kinds; those in which there are three honors, one 
of which is always the ten, and those in which 
there are only two honors. The first three are: 




*** 




4. 4. 
4. ^ 








0^0 
















^ ♦ 

♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦ 



4. 4- 



4. .J. 



O O 

<c> o 






These require at least as good as a guarded 
king, preferably an ace, in some other suit, to 



CLASSES OF HANDS 



9 



justify a free bid. As forced bids they may serve 
on occasion; but we must learn the free bids 
first. A king is guarded when accompanied by 
two or more small cards. A blank ace is not very 
strong. 

For a free bid of two in a major suit, there 
should be seven cards, with the outside help 
indicated. Never bid more than one in a minor 
suit. 

There are three combinations in the major suits 
which may be called with only four cards, pro- 
vided there is at least an ace, or a guarded king 
outside. These are: 




In the minor suits, clubs and diamonds, the out- 
side trick is not necessary. The strength in high 
cards is enough when the suit is not called with 
the idea of having it the trump for that deal. 

We come next to the three combinations of two 
honors only, which are these: 



10 



AUCTION MADE EASY 




>l 



[F~?l 



* * 



9? '7 
9 c? 



9 9 



l^bJ 


* 4. 




* 4- 




•!• 


l^M 


+ 4* 








+ 


l^ffil 


4. 4. 




4. 4. 




4- 



To justify a free bid on any of these, in either 
major or minor suits, there must be at least an ace 
and small cards in another suit, or a king-queen 
suit, or two guarded kings. This last condition 
brings the hand as a whole pretty close to a three- 
suiter. 

There are three combinations of only four cards 
that are what might be called border-line bids 
in the major suits, but are always good minor 
suit calls. In the major suits they must have the 
same outside support as the three five-card com- 
binations just given. These are: 








n 


o 


o 























@ 




1 




M 


* 1 




<? <? 



CLASSES OF HANDS 



11 



These are good enough for minor-suit calls in 
themselves, but in the major suits there must be 
as good as an ace, or a king-queen suit, or two 
guarded kings, in other suits to justify a free bid. 

Coming to still weaker combinations, we find 
these: 




4. 4. 




* * 


4. 4. 




* 


4. 4. 




4. 4. 

























♦ * 




♦ 


♦ 




♦ 


♦ ♦ 




♦ 



None of these is strong enough to justify a 
free bid, even with outside support, unless there 
are at least eight cards in a major suit, so that the 
holder can afford to start with a bid of three or four. 
Such bids are practically " shut-outs," designed to 
prevent the adversaries from starting anything. 
They are never sound calls in minor suits, no 
matter how long, unless the score is advanced 
enough to make them game-going hands. They 
must be good enough to stand a bid of three or 
four. They are better left alone. 

Attention should be called to the first of these, 
the K J 10, which is one of the greatest trick- 
losers in the game. The only excuse for calling 



12 AUCTION MADE EASY 

such a suit is when the rest of the hand is so strong 
that if the bid is passed the deal may be thrown 
out. 

There are a number of hands in which there is 
some strength in two different suits, but not suf- 
ficient length in either of them to justify a free 
bid. These hands are usually those in which part 
or all of the strength is in the major suits, so that 
a minor-suit bid is eliminated. The following are 
examples: 





No. 7 




No. 8 




No. 9 


7 


AQx 


7 


AKx 


7 


KQxx 


* 


X X X X 


<^ 


K 10 X X X 


* 


X X X X 





JlOx 





X X 





A 


♦ 


AJx 


<^ 


XXX 


^ 


XXX X 



In No. 7 both hearts and spades are too short. 
If any bid is made on such hands it should be a 
speculative no-trump. In No. 8 the minor suit 
is not strong enough. In No. 9 the hearts are 
not long enough, and the singleton is weak. All 
such two-suiters are distinctly defensive hands if 
the opponents get the contract, but may be very 
useful in coming to the partner's support if he 
has a bid. 

All two-suit hands are suit calls, never no- 
trumpers unless'one of the suits is a minor suit and 
" solid," such as six to the A K Q J, or seven to 
the A K Q, and the second suit is at least an ace, 
preferably in one of the major suits. These hands 



CLASSES OF HANDS 12 

are speculative no-trumpers, trusting that the 
partner can stop the other suits, if they are led. 
If the long suit were a major suit, it would be an 
original two- or three-trick bid. 

We come now to consider the manner in which 
two-suiters are developed in the later rounds of the 
bidding. 

Rebidding Two-suiters 

When a player starts with a free bid and then 
increases that bid at the next opportunity, without 
shifting to another call, he is said to " rebid " his 
hand. He may do this after his partner has 
assisted him, or without waiting to see whether 
he can assist or not; or in spite of his refusal to 
assist. He may also do it after his partner has 
denied his suit by bidding something else. The 
principles underlying denied suits will be explained 
later on. 

The question of rebidding brings us to one of 
the most important distinctions in the manner of 
bidding two-suit hands. The hands of this class 
that we have been considering are those in which 
all the strength in the supporting suit is required 
to justify the free bid; but there are a great 
many hands in which there is more than enough 
of this outside strength, and there are also hands 
in which the strength is there but is not required 
for the bid, the suit called being strong enough in 
itself. They are still all two-suit hands. 



14 AUCTION MADE EASY 

Beginning with the stronger hands first, two- 
suiters in which the suit called is sufficient, of 
which the following would be examples: 





No. 10 




No. 11 




No. 12 


7 


XXX 


7 


XXX 


7 


AKJxxx 


* 


AK Jxxx 


<^ 


AKQxx 


<^ 


X 





XX 










AKxx 


♦ 


Ax 


♦ 


AKJxx 


♦ 


XX 



On No. 10 the original bid is only one club, in 
spite of the extra length, because it is a minor suit. 
But if it becomes necessary to rebid the hand, the 
opponents overcaUing and the partner passing, 
the club bid may be advanced, as the hand is 
stronger than a free bid, and the extra trick, in 
spades, is not indicated in the original bid. There 
being two extra tricks, one of them a sixth tramp, 
this hand could be rebid twice, going to three 
clubs. 

In No. 11 the game-going suit is preferred for 
the free bid, and if the necessity arises to rebid 
the hand, the spade call should be advanced, 
showing that there were outside tricks in the hand 
all the time. 

One of the greatest mistakes made by the 
average player is shifting to the minor suit in such 
hands as this when the major suit has not been 
specifically denied by the partner. In this case the 
spades can be rebid three times; but the moment 
the supporting suit is named, the situation is" 
betrayed to the adversaries. They not only 



CLASSES OF HANDS 15 

recognize it as only a two-suiter, but detect the 
worthlessness of the two other suits. 

In No. 12 the free bid is two hearts, on account 
of the length. This hand could be bid up to four, 
showing two tricks outside, in addition to the 
original bid of two. 

It sometimes happens that only part of the out- 
side strength is required to fill out a free bid. In 
such hands the excess can be shown by rebidding, 
if necessary. Take the following examples: 





No. 13 




No. 14 




No. 15 


7 


A J 10 XX 


V 


Kxx 


7 




^ 


XXX 


<^ 


Axx 


* 


XXX 





X X 





XX 





AKQxxxx 


♦ 


AKx 


<^ 


K Q 10 X X 


:♦ 


XXX 



In No. 13 the heart suit itself is not strong 
enough for a free bid, and requires at least an 
outside king, or ace. But there is more than this 
in the spade suit, and to indicate this, the bid may 
be advanced to two hearts, if necessary. 

In No. 14 we have the outside king to support 
the spade call, but we have also an ace. This is 
enough to justify rebidding the spade suit, once 
only. 

In No. 15 we have a minor suit of seven cards, 
but as a free bid is never more than one there is no 
way to show the extra trump (if you are obliged to 
follow up diamonds as a trump declaration), 
except to bid two diamonds if it comes round to 
you again. You would be quite justified in re- 



16 AUCTION MADE EASY 

bidding this hand twice, as you have two extra 
trumps and can ruff both the first and second 
rounds of hearts. This is practically the same 
thing as if you held only five trumps, and held the 
ace and king of hearts on the side. All such hands 
need careful consideration. The principal thing 
to be kept in view is that if the partner does not 
seem to want your minor suit to help him out, 
you may as well pm-sue it on your own account. 

We come now to another class of two-suiters, 
which it is sometimes necessary to bid up in a dif- 
ferent way. 

Two Equal Suits 

When the hand contains two suits, either of 
which would qualify as a legitimate free bid, ac- 
cording to the principles we have been examining 
under " Classes of Hands," the bidding depends on 
whether both suits are major, both minor, or one 
of each. 

The rule is always to select the higher ranking 
suit for the first bid, and, if the opportunity offers, 
or the necessity arises, to rebid the hand by 
shifting to the lower ranking suit. Here are three 
examples of two-suiters: 

No. 16 No. 17 No. 18 

^ KQJxxx 7 AQlOxx ^ xx 

c^ XX (§3 AKQJx ^ AKQxx 

Ox KQJxx 

4> AKxxx ^ XX (^ X 



CLASSES OF HANDS 17 

In No. 16 call the spades first, even if the hearts 
are longer, because the spade suit is of higher rank, 
and is a legitimate free bid in itself. Then take 
the first opportunity to bid the hearts, and let 
your partner take his choice. 

In No. 17 the heart is the higher ranking suit, 
and must be called first. Unless the partner 
denies the suit, or there is some good reason for 
abandoning it, there is no necessity to bid the clubs 
at all. 

In No. 18 although the clubs are stronger, the 
diamonds should be called first. If this bid does 
not awaken any response from the partner, call 
the clubs next time. 

There are some hands that require an apparent 
reversal of this rule of calling the higher ranking 
suit first, which are those in which the higher 
ranking suit is not a legitimate free bid, even with 
the outside support. Take these hands: 



No. 19 


No. 20 


No. 21 


7 XX 


7 XX 


7 A K 10 x x 


*x 


cS^ AQJx 


♦ x 


AKxx 


QJlOxxxx 


XX 


^ KlOxxxx 


♦ 


(^ KJxxx 



In No. 19 the spade is not a legitimate bid, so 
the diamonds are called first. When the hand is 
rebid, the spade suit must be shown, and then the 
partner is not deceived as to its strength in high 
cards. 



18 AUCTION MADE EASY 

In No. 20 call the clubs. In rebidding it may- 
be worth while to show the diamonds. 

In No. 21 the spades are not a legitimate bid. 
Call the hearts first and show the spades later, if 
expedient to do so. 

Three-suit Hands 

We come now to the most interesting hands that 
one can hold at the bridge table, the three-suiters. 
These are hands in which there is some strength 
in three or even four suits, so that original free 
bid may be either in suit or no-trumps. The 
decision usually depends on the length of the 
major suit, or the honor score. No-trumpers may 
be roughly defined as hands in which there are 
three sure tricks in three different suits, or two or 
three tricks in two suits and a third suit surely 
'' stopped." A suit is said to be stopped, or 
" protected," when the adversaries cannot run 
down four or five tricks in it before you get the 
lead away from them. 

The following are examples of three different 
classes of three-suit hands: 





No. 22 




No. 23 




No. 24 


7 


AKJxx 


7 


AQ 


7 


AKx 


<^ 


AKx 


^ 


XXX 


^ 


Ax 





Axx 





Axxxx 





XXX 


♦ 


XX 


♦ 


AQJ 


♦ 


K J 10 X X 



These are all strong enough in three suits for 
no-trumpers, but it is invariably a mistake to 



CLASSES OF HANDS 19 

call no-trumps on a hand that has a major suit 
strong enough for a free bid, such as No. 22. The 
correct bid is a heart; subject to revision later. 

In No. 23 both the major suits are too short to 
call, and the hand is too strong to waste on a 
diamond contract. That is a no-trumper. 

In No. 24, which is an example of a very common 
type of hand, the spade is really a secondary bid; 
but if the hand is passed up no one else at the 
table may have a bid, and the deal will be thrown 
out. No criticism can be made of a player who 
picks the spade suit or the no-trumper. Either 
is a fair bid on such cards. Many prefer to call 
no-trumps first and then make the spades a second- 
ary bid, if the situation seems favorable. 

The limit of weakness upon which no-trumpers 
may be called as free bids largely depends on the 
ability to support a take-out by the partner in a 
major suit. Any shift by the partner to another 
call must be classed as a " take-out." He does 
it either because he thinks there is a better chance 
for game in his call, or because he cannot support 
the original declaration. Here are some examples 
of hands in which the possibility of a take-out 
must be considered. 



No. 25 




No. 26 




No. 27 


7 AJx 


S? 


x 


7 


AQxx 


cSb QJxx 


^ 


Kxx 


<2> 


AKxx 


XXX 





AKQxx 





AKJx 


d^ KlOx 


♦ 


Axxx 


♦ 


X 



20 AUCTION MADE EASY 

No. 25 is rather weak in itself, but it is strong in 
being able to stand a take-out in either major 
suit, and should be able to save the game against 
any such contract. 

No. 26 is a better no-trumper than a diamond, 
and is strong in providing against the possibility 
of having to deny the partner's take-out in hearts, 
the diamonds being a sound secondary bid. 

No. 27 is a good example of a hand that is strong 
enough to go back to no-trumps, in case the partner 
calls spades, trusting him for nothing more than a 
stopper in that suit. 

The following are examples of hands which 
should be classed as very risky no-trumpers, be- 
cause they cannot stand a major-suit take-out 
and have no sound secondary bid. 





No. 28 


No. 29 


No. 30 


7 


X 


^ Axx x 


^ X 


<^ 


KlOxx 


c^ Axxx 


c?) KQxx 





QJxx 


KlOxx 


Axxx 


♦ 


Axxx 


♦ X 


(^ QlOxx 



It is on hands like these that no-trump bidders 
get set for three or four tricks, and sometimes lose 
a little slam. If the partner happens to call the 
major suit in which there are four cards, all goes 
well; but if he calls the other, or the adversaries 
hold and lead it, there will be trouble. 

No. 28 should be passed up. It cannot stand 
a heart take-out, and has no bid with which to 
deny that suit. 



CLASSES OF HANDS 21 

No. 29 and No. 30 are not bad club bids. This 
will show that the hand has a couple of tricks in it 
somewhere, one of them in clubs. Then, if the 
partner calls the suit in which these hands are 
short, he must be fairly strong in it, and the 
shift to no-trumps would probably work out very 
well. 

Inviting No-trumpers 

Some players take advantage of the fact that 
there is no such free bid as two in a minor suit to 
use this call as a conventional ask if the partner is 
strong enough in that suit to go no-trumps. The 
two-bid does not show strength in the suit called, 
but strength in each of the other suits. Hands like 
Nos. 23, 24 and 25 are examples. In each of these 
the original bid might be two in the weak minor 
suit. The bid is never made in major suits. 

If the partner is strong in the suit he goes to 
no-trumps. Otherwise he calls his longest suit, 
which he knows the original declarer can support. 

An extension of this convention is to prevent the 
partner from going to no-trumps by calling two 
in clubs or diamonds when the suit is very strong, 
and there is also strength enough to support a 
major-suit bid, but not length enough. Nos. 26 
and 27 are good examples of this tjrpe of hand. 

If the original call on these hands is two dia- 
monds, it is impossible for the partner to have the 
two tricks in that suit which are necessary for him 



22 AUCTION MADE EASY 

to bid no-trumps, so he must call a suit. If this 
is the suit in which the diamond hand is weak, 
he goes to no-trumps himself. 

It is a very common mistake among untaught 
players to regard any bid of one in a minor suit 
as an " invitation " to the partner to go no-trumps. 
This leads them into two errors, which are often 
expensive. They are either afraid to bid no- 
trumps themselves, although they are so strong 
that the probability of their partner's having 
a no-trumper is very slim, or their partners get 
to going no-trumps on hopes. 

All these " invitations " and conventions are 
dangerous, except in the hands of the most expert 
players. 

Some Exercises 

Before proceeding further, the reader is advised 
to take a pack of cards and sort out the following 
examples, holding the actual cards in the hand, 
so as to accustom the eye to the various com- 
binations, just as if he were seated at the card 
table and had dealt the hand. 

By making a note on a slip of paper as to what 
he would call on each of these hands, and why, 
he may consider that his bid. Having gone 
through all the hands in this way he may check 
up his bids by the key at the end of this book, 
comparing his reasons with those there given, if 
there is a difference. 



CLASSES OF HANDS 23 

It is also excellent practice to deal out hands at 
random, and get the eye accustomed to classify- 
ing hands as to the number of suits, and then as 
to the bids. 





No. 31 




No. 32 




No. 33 


s? 


X 


7 


A J 10 


7 


K Jxxx 


♦ 


Kxxx 


<^ 


Qxx 


<^ 


XX 





KJlOx 





xxxx 





AKxx 


♦ 


Axxx 


♦ 


KQJ 


♦ 


XX 




No. 34 




No. 35 




No. 36 


s? 


AKlOx, 


7 


QJlOxx 


7 


XX 


<^ 


XX 


<^ 


KJlOx 


<5> 


AKx 





AQ 





X 





Axx 


♦ 


XXXXX 


♦ 


Kxx 


♦ 


AKQxx 




No. 37 




No. 38 




No. 39 


s? 


AKQxx 


s? 


AQlOxx 


s? 


X 


* 


XX 


♦ 


XXX 


♦ 


XXX 





X 





Qxx 





KJlOxxx 


♦ 


AQlOxx 


♦ 


XX 


♦ 


AKx 




No. 40 




'No. 41 




No. 42 


s? 


X 


^ 


KQJxxx: 


V 


XXX 


<^ 


AKQxx 


* 


Ax 


<^ 


AKQxx 





XX 





x 





AQJxx 


4^ 


AJlOxx 


♦ 


AKQx 


♦ 





All cards indicated by an " x " are indifferently 
small; that is, below the ten. 



WHEN THE DEALER PASSES 

When the dealer passes, the second player 
should declare himself on precisely the same prin- 
ciples as if he had dealt the hand. He may perhaps 
take a little more liberty with no-trumpers, as 
he has apparently at least one weak adversary, 
and a partner that has still to speak. 

After Two Passes 

This is strictly a defensive position, and the 
third hand (dealer and second hand both passing 
without a bid), must be at once bold and cautious, 
according to the character of his hand. It is 
extremely dangerous to bid no-trumps in this 
position, unless strong enough to make the odd 
trick without any assistance from the partner. 
Many players will not risk this call with less than 
six tricks. Then, if the dealer turns out to have 
anything, it may mean game. 

Major-suit calls should be avoided unless the 
hand is at least a trick stronger than would be 
required by the dealer or the second hand for a 

24 



WHEN THE DEALER PASSES 25 

free bid. T]\is is to allow for the possible weak- 
ness of the partner. It is a waste of time to 
struggle along for a few points with a contract that 
has no hope of going game. 

Minor-suit calls, on the other hand, may be 
freely made after two passes, on any combination 
of cards that would be a free bid, especially if 
there is nothing else in the hand. Four cards to 
the A K, or A Q J, or K Q J are very valuable in 
this position, for two reasons. If the adversaries 
are strong, the bid will be overcalled, and your 
partner knows what to lead. If your partner has a 
good secondary bid, you have given him an 
opportunity to make it, by reopening the bidding; 
often an important point. Timid bidders miss 
many opportunities to show a minor suit while 
it is cheap, and are then afraid to bid two, three, 
or four tricks on it, when the adversaries have de- 
clared themselves. 

With a timid player for a partner, these third 
hand calls are frequently the one thing he wants 
to get his courage up to the bidding point. Noth- 
ing is ever lost by bold bidding on the minor suits. 

Here are some examples of third hand bids, after 
two passes : 





No. 43 




No. 44 




No. 45 


V 


AQxx 


^ 


KQJxx 


7 


K Jxxx 


<^ 


AJlOx 


<^ 


AKxx 


c^ 


X 





KJx 





Axx 





AKQx 


♦ 


XX 


♦ 


X 


♦ 


XXX 



26 AUTCION MADE EASY 





No. 46 




No. 47 


No. 48 


s? 


Qxx 


S? 


Axx 


S? AQx 


^ 


XXX 


^ 


Axx 


c?. KJx 





XXX 





xxxx 


AQ 


♦ 


AQJx 


♦ 


Axx 


(^ Jxxxx 



In No. 43 the chief object is to ask a lead, in 
case the fourth hand gets the contract. It is 
also valuable as a hand that can support the 
dealer if he has a secondary bid. 

No. 44 is a heart, promising game if the dealer 
has anything at all. It is a dangerous no-trumper. 

No. 45, being able to support anything but 
clubs, should bid the diamonds; not the hearts, 
to reopen the bidding as cheaply as possible. It 
is often important to make it easy for the partner 
to overcall. 

No. 46 is a spade, it is not strong, but the lead 
must be indicated, and the bidding reopened. 
Someone has all those aces and kings. 

No. 47 is a pass. There is no reason to pick a 
suit, and no danger of losing the game if the 
adversaries pick one. This is a typical defensive 
band. 

No. 48 is one of those border-line hands that one 
may pass up or call no-trumps. Its strength is in 
its position, not for the partner to lead through 
it to the fourth hand, but for the fourth hand to 
lead up to it, if he gets the contract. Much 
depends on the player who sits to the left. If he 
never overcalls no-tnunpers, pass. It is a very 



WHEN THE DEALER PASSES 27 

strong defensive hand, and good for the game if 
the partner has anything at all. 

After Three Passes 

This is the most dangerous position at the table 
for no-trmnpers. Unless the hand is unusually- 
strong for a suit bid, the high cards are probably 
so distributed among the three other players that 
one of them has a good secondary bid, and wants 
only the opening to make it. It is two to one 
against this being the second player. Unless there 
is a very good chance for game, the bidding will 
usually be opened by the fourth hand, after three 
passes, for the benefit of his opponents. 

To bid no-trumps fourth hand, four suits should 
be stopped, and there should be at least seven 
tricks in hand. To bid a suit, the hand should 
be at least three tricks stronger than would be 
necessary for a free bid as dealer or second hand. 

This may be considered rather cautious bidding 
by some persons, but when in doubt there is 
nothing better than a new deal. A fourth hand 
bid indicates unusual strength, and frequently 
encourages the partner to support it beyond its 
capacity. If the hand is not something unusual 
it will invariably come to grief, or a great deal 
of time and worry will be expended on scoring a 
few points, with no hope of going game, and 
game is the only thing worth bidding for after 
three passes. 



THE PARTNER 

The most important position at the bridge table 
is the partner of the first bidder, whether that 
bid is made by the dealer, or by the second hand 
after the dealer has passed. This position must 
be considered first, because the partner of a 
forcedobid has not the same grounds to form his 
judgments upon as the partner of a free bidder. 

There are two principal positions; those in 
which the intervening player passed without a 
declaration of any kind, and those in which he 
interposes a bid or double. Taking the simpler 
position first, ttiree alternatives are presented to 
the bidder's partner. To pass, indicating that he 
has nothing to say. To shift, indicating that he 
thinks he has a better call on his own cards. To 
deny any support for the original bid. 

In order to simplify the terminology in what 
follows, we shall always call the first bidder the 
dealer, and the third hand the partner, as the 
position is precisely the same if the second hand 
is the first bidder and the fourth hand the partner. 

Denying and Overcalling 

The distinction must be clearly made between 
denials and take-outs. 

28 



THE PARTNER 29 

If the dealer bids no-trump, and his partner 
says two hearts or spades, he does not deny any 
assistance for the no-trumper, but he suggests that 
the major suit would probably be safer, and just 
as likely to win the game. 

If the dealer bids one in a major suit, and his 
partner simply overcalls it with another suit, 
that is a distinct denial of any assistance for the 
dealer's suit; but if the partner overbids his hand, 
as by calling two spades over one heart, or three of 
anything over one spade, he is not denying the 
dealer's suit, but indicating very unusual strength 
in another suit, and greater probability of game. 

This is known as '^overcalling" and is intended 
to distinguish strength from weakness; to separate 
the denial from the take-out. It is colloquially 
known as a ''shout." 

Three varieties of the position continually 
present themselves, according to the dealer's 
original call being no-trump, major suit, or minor 
suit. 

If the dealer starts with no-trump, and the 
partner bids two in a minor suit, he is denying 
any assistance for the no-trumper and indicates 
that unless the suit he names is the trump, he 
cannot take a trick. 

If the dealer starts with a major suit and his 
partner overcalls with the other major suit, he 
denies assistance for the dealer's suit. 

If the dealer starts with a minor suit, and the 
partner shifts to the other minor suit, without 



30 AUCTION MADE EASY 

overcalling his hand, he is denying the dealer's 
suit. If he shifts to a major suit or to no-trumps, 
he is taking advantage of the dealer's show of 
strength in a minor suit to make a call that has a 
much better chance of going game. 

As these three divisions of the subject are 
governed by different considerations and are 
among the most important elements of good 
bidding, we shall examine them separately. 



TAKING OUT NO-TRUMPERS 

Starting with the first division of our subject, 
here are three typical examples of the partner's 
taking the dealer out of a no-trumper. It must 
not be forgotten that in what follows there is no 
intervening bid or double by the second hand. 





No. 49 




No. 50 




No. 51 


^ 


KJxxx 


7 


XXX 


7 


XXX 


* 


XXX 


* 


Qxxxx 


<?> 


XX 





Ax 





XXX 





XX 


♦ 


XXX 


♦ 


XX 


♦ 


AKQJxx 



When the dealer starts with a no-trumper, and 
his partner holds five cards of either major suit, 
hearts or spades, no matter what they are, or 
what the rest of the hand, he should invariably 
and consistently call the five-card major suit. 
With a good player, who restricts his no-trumpers 
to the conditions already laid down for free bids, 
as in examples No. 25 to 30, this take-out is one 
of the biggest winners in the game. With a 
dealer that does not know anything about the 
principles that should underlie no-triunp calls, all 
take-outs are a gamble; but it is just as well to 
follow some uniform system and avoid guessing. 
31 



32 AUCTION MADE EASY 

There are players who will inform you with the 
greatest assurance that they do not want to be 
taken out of their no-trumpers with five-card 
major suits, unless they are very strong. By 
what right they dictate to you I do not know, but 
the best answer to such persons is to inform them 
that you do not want them to bid no-trumps 
unless they have a game hand. Your judgment of 
what to bid should be as good as theirs. The 
real reason with such people usually is that they 
want to play every hand. 

No. 49 is a two-heart take-out. If the dealer 
does not like the hearts, he can go back to no- 
trumps or call a suit. 

No. 50 is a two-club take-out, showing that 
there is not a trick in the hand above a queen, but 
that there are five cards of a minor suit. Such 
hands are worthless as part of a no-trumper; but 
should be good for two tricks with five trumps. 
You increase the contract one trick to save two. 

No. 51 is a three-spade bid. To call two spades 
gives the dealer no idea of the strength of the suit, 
and may lead him to deny, then you will have to 
go to three, so it is better to bid the three at once. 
This is a typical " shout." 

Weak take-outs, like No. 50, are restricted to 
suits of at least five cards. If there is no five- 
card suit in the hand, and not a trick in it either, 
the no-trumper must be abandoned to its fate. 

It often happens that in answer to the partner's 
take-out of a no-trumper with two in a major 



TAKING OUT NO-TRUMPERS 33 

suit, the dealer will have to deny that suit by 
bidding three in something else. This is tanta- 
mount to asking the partner if his take-out is 
strong enough in high cards to support a no- 
trumper. If it is, he should go back to no-trumps, 
as the dealer must have the three other suits safe. 
That is, if the take-out is headed by A K, A Q J, 
K Q J, or even K Q 10, the partner should return 
to no-trumps, rather than play the hand in a minor 
suit. If, on the other hand, the take-out suit is 
weak, such as five to the king, the dealer must be 
left in. 

No-trumpers are more or less of a gamble, as the 
suits have no rank, and those held by the oppo- 
nents are just as good as those held by the declarer. 



TAKING OUT MAJOR SUITS 

If the dealer's bid is two tricks in a major suit, 
he is strong enough to handle that suit without 
any help from his partner, and the suit need not be 
denied. There is therefore no excuse for taking 
him out unless it be some phenomenal holding, 
such as five honors in one hand in the other major 
suit, or 100 aces at no-trump. Even then the 
take-out is doubtful policy, especially with two 
cards of the dealer's suit, however small. 

When the dealer starts with a bid of one in a 
major suit, and his partner holds less than three 
cards of it, neither as good as the queen or jack, 
the partner should take him out with any five- 
card suit, or with any suit of four that is strong 
enough for a free bid. Failing either of these, he 
must let the dealer take his chances. 

In case the partner holds the other major suit, 
that is no excuse for taking the dealer out, unless 
the suit is so strong that game is probable without 
any assistance in that suit from the dealer. 

Here are some examples of take-outs, the dealer's 
bid being one heart in each case. 
34 



TAKING OUT MAJOR SUITS 35 





No. 52 




No. 53 




No. 54 


7 


XX 


^ 


XX 


s? 




<^ 


XXX 


<^ 


AQxx 


<^ 


Axxx 





XXX 





Axxx 





AKQxxx 


♦ 


A Q 10 XX 


♦ 


KQx 


♦ 


XXX 



In No. 52 the heart is simply overcalled to 
deny it. 

In No. 53 it is both denied and accepted as 
valuable as part of a better contract, the partner 
going to no-trumps. 

In No. 54 the partner overcalls his hand, bid- 
ding three diamonds, which not only denies the 
hearts, but shows the unusual strength of the dia- 
monds. But for the fact that hearts cannot be 
led from this hand, it would be an excellent no- 
trumper. If the dealer has a sure trick outside 
his hearts and they are strong, he may go to no- 
trumps. 

It is most important to take bids of this character 
out of the defensive class by overcalling. Such 
take-outs invariably show that a no-trumper 
either is too risky, or that it is not wanted. Here 
are two examples, the dealer bidding a heart in each 
case: 

No. 55 No. 56 

7 X 7 Axx 

c§) AKQxxx c?) Kxx 

xxx () X 

♦ xxx 4^AKQ10xx 



36 AUCTION MADE EASY 

In No. 55, to bid two clubs would simply deny 
the hearts, but to bid three clubs shows not only 
the strength of the suit, but the partner's inability 
to go no-trumps, while both the diamonds and 
spades may be against them. 

In No. 56 to bid a spade would simply deny 
the hearts, but a bid of two spades indicates that 
the suit is so much better than any one-heart 
bid that it does not matter whether the dealer 
has any spades or not. Neither does it matter 
whether the partner has any hearts or not. He 
knows that the spade is the better contract. 

Taking Out Minor Suits 

When the dealer starts with a bid of one in a 
minor suit it is not necessary to deny that suit by 
bidding the other minor suit unless the take-out 
suit is good enough for an original free bid, and 
there are not more than two small cards of the deal- 
er's suit in the hand. 

If the two tricks shown by the dealer's bid 
are useful in filling out a possible no-trumper in 
the partner's hand, or a major-suit bid, there 
should be no hesitation about the take-out, no 
matter how strong the partner may be in the 
dealer's suit. Absolute dependence on the sound- 
ness of the dealer's minor-suit bids is essential, 
however, especially in shifting to no-trumps. 

It will occasionally happen that the dealer will 
call a minor suit, and that the partner is strong 



TAKING OUT MINOR SUITS 37 

enough to win two or three tricks in other suits, 
but dare not risk no-trump. The best pohcy in 
such cases is to increase the partner's contract, 
so as to reopen the bidding, in case he may have a 
good secondary major-suit bid, as in No. 19. He 
may even be able to go to no-trumps. This neces- 
sary increase of the dealer's contract in a minor 
suit always shows that the partner holds the 
missing high cards of his suit, and a couple of 
tricks elsewhere, perhaps in two suits. 

Here are some examples, the dealer bidding a 
club in each case. 





No. 57 




[No. 58 


No. 59 


s? 


AQx 


7 


xxxx 


7 Axx 


<^ 


XX 


* 


X 


<^ KlOxx 





AKxxx 





AKxx 


X 


^ 


Jxx 


♦ 


XXXX 


(^ AKxxx 



In No. 57 the partner takes advantage of the 
dealer's clubs to go no-trumps, taking a chance on 
the spades. 

In No. 58, he denies the clubs with the diamonds, 
at the same time reopening the bidding. 

In No. 59 he does not deny the clubs, but has a 
better call, spades. In case the dealer denies 
spades, the partner can either return to the clubs, 
or support the dealer's secondary bid if it is 
hearts. 

There are some hands in which it is better to take 
the partner out for the sake of getting certain suits 



38 



AUCTION MADE EASY 



led up to, or concealing them; but this is usually 
only in no-trumpers. 

Exercises 

Here are a few exercises on the partner's re- 
sponses to the dealer's bids, the original call in 
each case "being indicated, and the second hand 
always passing. As before, it is recommended 
that the reader sort out the actual cards and 
hold them in the hand, as if at the card table, 
making notes of the bid, if any, and comparing 
it later with the key. 





No. 60 




No. 61 




No. 62 


s? 


Kxxx 


7 


Jxx 


7 


AJlOxx 


* 


A Jxx 


cS> 


AKQJxx 


<^ 


x 





AQx 





XX 





Kxxxx 


♦ 


XX 


♦ 


XX 


♦ 


Ax 


SPADE CALL 


HEART CALL 


DIAMOND CALL 




No. 63 




No. 64 




No. 65 


^ 


Qxx 


V 


XXX 


s? 


X 


«> 


Jxxx 


<^ 


Axxx 


<^ 


XX 





KJxxxx 





AKxx 





Axxx 


♦ 




♦ 


XX 


♦ 


AKQxxx 




NO-TRUMP CALL 


CLUB CALL 


TWO-HEART CALL 




No. 66 




No. 67 




No. 68 


^ 


AJ 


S? 


Axxxx 


7 


Ax 


♦ 


AQJxx 


* 


Ax 


<s> 


Qxxxxx 





Kxx 





A 





AJ 


♦ 


AKx 


♦ 


Axxxx 


♦ 


KQx 


] 


HEART CALL 


SPADE CALL 




CLUB CALL 



THE ASSIST 

We came next to situations in which the dealer's 
bid is overcalled by the second hand. To sim- 
phfy matters, we shall suppose that this second 
player bids only just enough to overcall. That is, 
if the dealer bids a heart, second hand bids one 
spade; not two or three. It then becomes the 
duty of the dealer's partner to decide on one of 
three courses; to assist the dealer's bid; to shift; 
or to pass. 

There are three classes of original bids which 
the partner may be called on to assist; no- 
trumpers, major suits, and minor suits. We shall 
continue, for the sake of clearness, to consider 
the original bid as made by the dealer, and to 
speak of the third hand as the partner. 

Assisting No-trumpers 

As a general principle, unless the partner has a 
no-trumper himself, all four suits stopped, he 
should never increase the dealer's no-trump con- 
tract. If he holds the ace of the suit called by the 
second hand and at least four tricks besides, 
which can be made before the opponents can 



40 AUCTION MADE EASY 

recover the lead at no-trump, he might go two 
no-trumps; but in view of the fact that so many 
of the dealer's no-trumpers are nothing but an 
ace and two hopes, any increase in that declara- 
tion is dangerous. 

Failing a single stopper in the adversary's suit, 
the partner should call any good suit of his own if 
it is good enough for an original free bid; other- 
wise he would do better to pass. If he can stop 
the adverse suit twice but is not strong enough 
to go to two no-trumps, he should double provided 
he has a trick or two outside the two stoppers. 
This leaves it to the dealer to decide whether or 
not to go back to the no-trumper, which he can 
do without increasing the contract any more than 
his partner would have done, or to play for 
penalties. 

Here are some examples of the partner's holding 
when the dealer bids no-trump and is overcalled; 
the suit named by second hand being indicated : 



No. 69 


No. 70 




No. 71 


7 AlOxx 


7 Kxx 


7 


Axx 


C?3 XX 


c^b AKQx 


^ 


KJxx 


xxxx 


xxxx 





XX 


(^ AJx 


4b Jx 


4> 


Kxxx 


TWO HEAKT8 


TWO SPADES 


TWO 


DIAMONDS 



In No. 69, even if the KQJ are against this 
hand, the suit is stopped twice. With an outside 
ace double. 



THE ASSIST 41 

In No. 70 the dealer's missing suit must be 
clubs. By bidding three clubs, the absolute 
command of that suit is shown, but the power 
to stop the spades is denied; because with the 
spades stopped and such club strength, the bid 
would be two no-trumps. 

No. 71 is nothing but a pass. The opponents 
have gone into a minor suit, in which game is 
hardly possible, unless they have such phenomenal 
hands that they will overcall any bid the dealer or 
his partner may make. 

As a general principle, there is no such thing as 
assisting a no-trumper. The only correct calls 
are to double, name a good suit of your own, or 
pass. Many of the adverse bids are designed to 
force the no-trumper out of its depth, or into a 
minor suit, more than to get the contract. 



ASSISTING SUIT BIDS 

The most important thing for the partner to keep 
in view is that the dealer's bid, which is to win 
seven tricks, does not mean that he holds seven 
tricks in his own cards, but that he should be, 
able to make seven tricks if his partner has average 
assistance. 

This assistance is therefore included in the 
dealer's bid, or " discounted," and to borrow any 
part of it for an assist is to bid the same cards 
twice over. The first thing, therefore, is to deter- 
mine just what is average assistance, so as to de- 
duct it from the hand. What is left is all there 
is to assist on. The failure to make this deduc- 
tion is the weak spot in the game of some of our 
best players. 

There are two divisions of this subject, accord- 
ing to whether it is a major- or a minor-suit bid 
of the dealer's that is overcalled by the second 
hand. It should be noticed that if the partner 
assists at once, he should do so on the same cards 
that would justify him in assisting if it was the 
fourth hand that overcalled, instead of the 
second, and the dealer passed. 

42 



ASSISTING SUIT BIDS 



43 



Trump Values in Assisting 

The partner's first consideration is the value of 
his trump holding, as he may have to deny the suit, 
or refuse to assist it. The normal distribution is 
for the partner to hold three small trumps; or 
two, one as good as the queen. As these are in- 
cluded in the dealer's bid, they are worth nothing 
in themselves; but if they can be used for ruffing 
the first or second round of a suit, they have a 
certain value, which we shall come to presently. 
• Any stronger holding, such as queen, king, or 
ace and two small trumps, are worth a trick about 
half the time, so we call them worth half a trick 
all the time. Four trumps to two honors, the 
jack, and one higher, are worth a trick. These 
values are intrinsic, and apart from the value of 
these cards for ruffing purposes. In order to 
impress this upon the memory, as it is very im- 
portant, the several combinations are here illus- 
trated : 



i<7 "7 



4» 4 



These are worth nothing in themselves. 



9 9 







* * 
* 

+ * 




4. 4. 



t A TRICK 



WORTH 1 TRICK 



44 AUCTION MADE EASY 

No matter how many more trumps the partner 
may hold, or how high the honors, they are never 
worth more than one trick in themselves. One 
of the greatest mistakes made in assisting bids 
is in attaching a fictitious value to numerical 
strength in trumps. If they cannot be used for 
ruffing, they must fall uselessly on the dealer's 
trumps at the end of the hand, or ruff his good 
cards. 

But if there is a missing suit in the hand, the 
ability to ruff that suit must be equal to an ace, 
and the ability to ruff the second round equal to a 
king. One may even count on ruffing both first 
and second rounds, but only with four trumps, 
because with three or less, the adversaries may lead 
trumps before the second ruff comes off, and ex- 
haust the dummy. This ability to ruff may be 
added to the intrinsic value of the trump holdings 
already given. Some persons, in sorting their 
cards, put one or two of their trumps in the place 
of a missing suit or singleton, to help them in their 
estimate of assisting strength. 



Suit Values in Assisting 

The next consideration for the partner is the 
tricks he holds in plain suits. These are easily 
counted, the ace being a sure trick, and a king- 
queen suit is as good as an ace; so are two kings. 
As a guarded king will take a trick about half the 



ASSISTING SUIT BIDS 45 

time, it is worth about | a trick all the time. 
If it is the king of the suit bid on the right, it may- 
be worth a full trick. 

The dealer expects his partner to lay down a 
dummy at least as good as ace king, in addition 
to the average trumps. If that is all the partner 
holds, they must not be counted on for an assist, 
as they have been discounted in the dealer's bid. 
That is, they are of no value. The foUov/ing are 
examples of hands that are not worth an assist, 
the dealer's bid being one heart, overcalled by 
one spade, second hand : 





No. 72 




No. 73 




No. 74 


7 


10 X X X X 


^ 


xxxx 


7 


Qxxx 


^ 


QJx 


<^ 


Kxx 


<^ 


Jxxx 





Kxx 





Kxx 





Qx 


♦ 


QJ 


♦ 


Jxx 


♦ 


Kxx 



Count these up, and none of them is worth an 
assist on the first opportunity, but they might 
be if the dealer rebids his hand himself, which we 
shall come to presently. 

It is only when the partner has at least as good 
as an ace better than is expected of him that he 
should assist; but the moment he does assist, 
the dealer should be certain that he must be doing 
so on one of two things; high cards in plain 
suits, or the ability to ruff. Here are three ex- 
amples of legitimate assists, the dealer bidding a 
heart, overcalled by one spade: 



46 AUCTION MADE EASY 





No. 75 




No. 76 




No. 77 


^ 


xxxx 


7 


Qxxx 


7 


Kx 


<^ 


Axxxx 


* 


X 


^ 


xxxx 





Kxxx 





AKxx 





Axxx 


♦ 




♦ 


XXXX 


♦ 


Axx 





In No. 75 both the first and second rounds of 
spades can be trumped, and the partner has four 
trumps (hearts) . This is equal to the ace and king 
of spades, so that his hand is really ace king above 
average, at least. 

In No. 76 one of the trumps can be used for 
rufiing the second round of clubs, which is as good 
as a king. If a small heart (trump) were put. 
with the club, it would stand for the king of 
clubs, and still leave the player with average 
trump holding, or better, three to the queen, and 
ace king of diamonds besides. This hand is good 
for two assists. 

No. 77 is obviously a good assist. 

Rebidding after an Assist 

We shall now return to the dealer's hand, after 
his suit has been overcalled by an adversary, and 
his partner has assisted. We have already con- 
sidered the holdings on which the dealer would 
rebid his own hand, either without waiting to 
hear from his partner, or in spite of his partner's 
refusal to assist him. 

If the dealer has bid upon any normal hand, 



ASSISTING SUIT BIDS 47 

and has bid all there is in it at the start, of course 
he has nothing more to say, no matter what his 
partner does. No amount of assisting can make 
the dealer's hand worth any more unless he 
himself holds something more than enough to 
cover his first bid. He may bid more, to push 
the adversaries up, or to postpone the loss of the 
game, or for any reason of that kind; but he has 
not got it in his hand. 

There is no law against overbidding the hand, 
but one should know when one is doing it, and 
should also be able to count up just how much 
beyond the limit one is going. 

The first consideration is the probable trump 
holding of his partner. If his partner has passed 
the bid, and it is overcalled by the player on the 
dealer's right, it is a fair inference that the partner 
has at least the normal trump holding, as he made 
no attempt to deny the suit. But if the partner 
has refused to assist, after the second hand has 
overcalled, the trump holding is as much in doubt 
as the rest of the hand. 

If the partner holds only average in both trumps 
and plain suits, perhaps less than average, and 
cannot assist, the dealer must hold enough extra 
tricks in his own hand to provide against that 
possible shortage in his prospective dummy. 
Examples of rebidding under such circumstances 
have been given in examples Nos. 10 to 15. 

The outside strength necessary to justify the 
dealer in rebidding without having been assisted, 



48 AUCTION MADE EASY 

or without waiting for it, may be roughly stated 
as an ace, or a king-queen suit, or two guarded 
kings. After the partner has assisted, showing 
more than average, the dealer may rebid with 
half the strength which would be necessary to 
rebid without this assist, or in spite of its absence. 
Here are a few examples. In each case the dealer, 
whose hand is given, has started with a heart, 
overcalled by one spade, partner going to two 
hearts, and the player on the right to two spades. 





No. 78 




No. 79 




No. 80 


^ 


A Q 10 XX 


7 


AKJxx 


7 


KQxxxx 


* 


Kxx 


* 


XX 


^ 


XXX 





Kxx 





XXX 





Axx 


♦ 


XX 


♦ 


Kxx 


♦ 


X 



In No. 78 only one of the kings is necessary to 
justify the free bid in hearts, the other is extra. 
If the partner's assist is sound, the dealer can 
rebid this extra king, but he should not rebid 
without the assist. 

In No. 79 we have the same situation. The 
king is not wanted to help out the heart bid, but 
is not enough to justify a rebid without the part- 
ner's assistance. After that assist, especially the 
king of the adversaries' suit, is a fair rebid. 

In No. 80 there is an extra trump, which may be 
called the king of spades, as that still leaves five 
trumps intact, and an outside ace. After an assist 



ASSISTING SUIT BIDS 49 

this is a good rebid. All these are border-line 
rebids. Anything stronger is so much the better. 

Assists after Rebids 

Returning to the other side of the table we must 
consider the cases in which the partner was not 
strong enough to assist on the first opportunity, 
but should assist after the dealer has rebid his 
hand, because the dealer shows by his independent 
rebid that he has enough to make up for any 
possible shortage in his partner's hand. If there 
is no such shortage, the partner can assist. Here 
are some examples, the dealer starting with one 
heart, second hand one spade, third and fourth 
hands passing, and the dealer going to two hearts: 





No. 81 




No. 82 


No. 83 


s? 


XXX 


S? 


Qxx 


7 JlOx 


* 


Axxx 


^ 


KQxx 


d^ xxxx 





Kxxx 





xxxxx 


Kxxx 


♦ 


XX 


♦ 


X 


d^ Ax 



None of these is more than the average holding 
expected by the dealer, and discounted in his 
first bid. Being fully up to average, however, 
they are worth an assist after he rebids his hand. 

It is probably hardly necessary to point out 
that if the dealer or his partner is strong enough, 
the hand may be rebid or assisted more than once. 
We have had some examples of the dealer's ability 



50 AUCTION MADE EASY 

to rebid his own cards two or three times. Here 
are some examples of assisting more than once, 
even if the dealer has no rebid, hearts trumps: 





No. 84 




No. 85 




No. 86 


^ 


xxxx 


7 


Qxxx 


^ 


XXXXX 


^ 


Axxxx 


<^ 


AKx 


<^ 


Ax 





AKJx 





Kxxx 





AKxxx 


♦ 




♦ 


XX 


♦ 


X 



In No. 84 the potential ace and king of spades 
may be comited. There are three assists in this 
hand. 

In No. 85 there are no ruffs, but the hand is 
worth two assists, being a trump and a king above 
average. 

In No. 86 there are trumps enough to ruff two 
suits, after disarming the opponents. The hand 
is worth three assists. 



FORCED BIDS 

Any bid that is made to overcall a previous bid 
by the opponents must be classed as a forced bid 
and must not be credited with the same strength in 
high cards as a free bid. As soon as the bidding 
is started by either side, the other side must put 
up some kind of a fight if they have anything 
at all. This may compel them to take a chance 
on a bid that is not up to the standard of a free bid; 
but it should not be more than a full trick below it. 

It is often advisable to indicate a lead when it 
looks as if the contract mighG go to the player on 
the left. Such a result may often be anticipated, 
especially when the fii-ct bid is in a minor suit. If 
the indication of a lead is postponed, it may be too 
expensive by the time the opportunity comes 
round again. 

Here are some examples of forced bids by the 
second hand, the dealer's bid being indicated: 





No. 87 




No. 88 


s? 


JlOxxx 


V 


XX 


^ 


AKxx 


* 


AKxxx 





XX 





XXX 


^ 


XX 


♦ 


XXX 




ONE SPADE 




ONE HEAKT 



51 



52 AUCTION MADE EASY 



No. 89 




No. 90] 


S? Axx 


s? 


xxx 


<f^ Axx 


♦ 


XX 


XX 





AJlOxx 


^ Qxxxx 


♦ 


Axx 


•NE DIAMOND 




ONE CLUB 



In No. 87 bid two hearts, because it is a game- 
going suit. 

In No. 88 bid two clubs, to provide against 
the possibihty of third hand's shifting. 

In No. 89 bid a spade. The spades are not up 
to standard, but the hand is. 

In No. 90 anticipate a possible no-trumper on 
the left by asking for a diamond lead while it is 
cheap to do so. 

As already pointed out, what appears to be a 
forced bid may really be quite strong enough for a 
free bid, but if the foregoing are specimens of what 
forced bids may be, it is clearly Judicious for the 
partner to allow for the possibility that the bidder 
may be a full trick weaker than he should be if it 
were a free bid. 

When a no-trumper is bid on j^our right, you are 
not forced to bid, as your suits are just as good as 
the declarers in no-triunpers. You are not fight- 
ing against a suit that can kill all your high cards. 
The best rule is to pass, regardless of what you 
hold. There are hands in which you can score 
something, or even win tho game against the 
alleged no-trumper on your right, but in the long 



FORCING BIDS 53 

run the no-trumper will be penalized more than 
your gains would be worth. You have the lead, 
and can get your suit going before the declarer 
gets in. 

When you are fourth hand to the dealer's no- 
trumper, the situation is different, because you 
have not the lead, and if you have a long or strong 
suit, it is probably the last thing your partner 
would open. In such situations a forced bid, 
simply to ask for a lead, is frequently useful in 
two ways — they get your suit started, or they 
drive the no-trumper into a suit bid, and often 
this turns out to be one in which he cannot go 
game. 

These " asks" are usually sound if the hand is 
strong enough to make five tricks, saving the game 
(if the dealer goes back to no-trumps), provided 
your partner has any honor in the suit you name 
to lead to you. Here are two examples : 

No. 91 No. 92 

S? XXX 7 Axx 

c$) AQxxx <$) XX 

Oxx OKJlOxx 

(^ AJx ^ Kxx 

In No. 91, if your partner has an honor to lead 
when you call the clubs, you may make four clubs 
and a spade, or three clubs and two spades. If 
the dealer shifts to a suit he may have trouble 
making four or five odd. 



54 AUCTION MADE EASY 

In No. 92, with two re-entries, you can afford to 
lose two tricks in diamonds and still save the game. 
The chief thing is to get the diamonds started 
before you lose your re-entries. 

The ask for a lead against a no-trumper need 
never be assisted, unless the assist is sound for a 
bid that is two tricks below normal. If the no- 
trumper is driven into a minor suit, and most 
no-trumpers are built on minor suits, it is better 
to leave it alone, and save the game. 

There are hands, of course, in which there is no 
necessity to ask for a lead, as the game can be 
saved no matter what is opened. To bid on such 
hands only takes the dealer out of a trap, or 
frightens him into some safer bid. If the fourth 
hand is very strong, he may want to play a suit, 
in which case he avails himself of the conventional 
double, which we shall come to presently. 



SECONDARY BIDS 

Secondary bids are those which are made on the 
second round, but not on the first. The dis- 
tinction is necessary in order to avoid deceiving 
the partner, who always credits free bids with 
certain trick-taking possibilities, no matter what 
the final declaration may be, or who gets the con- 
tract. 

Here are some examples of hands held by the 
dealer. The second hand is supposed to have 
called one of your weak suits, no matter which, 
and he has done so either after you have passed 
or after you have bid, third and fourth hands both 
passing. 





No. 93 




No. 94 


7 


K 10 XXX 


S? 


XXX 


<^ 


XX 


* 


AKxx 





XX 





X 


<^ 


AQxx 


<^ 


J 10 X X X 




No. 95 




No. 96 


s? 


XXX 


7 


KlOxxx 


«> 


KJlOxxxx 


' <^ 


XX 










Kxx 


♦ 


Axx 


♦ 


Axx 


In No. 


93 there is no 


free bid, but the hearts 


e a fair secondary bid. 


' 






55 







56 AUCTION MADE EASY 

In No. 94 you having started with a club, must 
try the spades as a secondary bid. 

In No. 95, having passed the first time, bid just 
enough clubs to overcall anything but your part- 
ner's bid, unless he bids diamonds over hearts. 

No. 96 might be an original no-trumper, but if it 
is passed, or the no-trumper overcalled, bid the 
hearts. It frequently happens that if hands like 
this are passed, an opponent will bid the hearts. 
Then you are in a fine position. 

It is important to observe that the difference 
between secondary bids and legitimate two- 
suiters lies in the reversed rank of the suits bid. 
In two-suiters the higher ranking suit is called 
first; in secondary bids the lower ranking suit 
is called first, if any bid is made on the first round. 
Take No. 94 as an example. When two bids 
are made, the first, or free bid, shows the defensive 
strength; the secondary bid shows length, and 
indicates that the suit is useful only as a trump. 

Assisting Secondaky Bids 

Just as in forced bids, the partner must always 
make allowance for the weakness in high cards 
shown by a secondary bid, unless it is a two-suiter. 
It is never necessaryjto deny a secondary bid in a 
minor suit, as it is usually well able to take care of 
itself, as in No. 95. In assisting secondary bids 
in major suits, count them a full trick weaker than 
free bids. 



DOUBLING 

There are four doubles in common use, three of 
them purely conventional. Many players do not 
approve of them, and think they spoil the game; 
but every bridge player owes it to himself to 
understand the weapons that he may find are 
being used against him. Some think these 
doubles offer an enormous advantage. Perhaps 
they might, if they were more judiciously used. 
Like all powerful weapons they need careful 
handling. They may be described as follows: 

1. Doubling a suit bid. This asks the partner 
to go no-trumps if he can stop that suit twice; 
otherwise to bid his own longest suit, even if it is 
only four to the nine. 

2. Doubling a no-trumper. This asks the 
partner to bid his longest suit, no matter what it 
is. With equal suits, to bid the one of higher 
rank. In some cases the partner may consider 
himself strong enough to defeat the no-trumper, 
and will let the double stand. 

3. The double after having assisted or denied 
the partner's suit. This shows a sure trick in the 
opponent's suit. It is also used to show sure tricks 
in a suit that overcalls the partner's no-trumper. 

67 



58 AUCTION MADE EASY 

4. The business double, to defeat the con- 
tract. This never comes until after two or three 
rounds of bids, or it would be confused with the 
conventional doubles, which are based on the 
assumption that it is a waste of time to double 
one-trick bids in order to get penalties. There 
are too many ways out. 

The conventional double should be restricted 
to players whose partner has still to speak; such 
as second hand, doubling the dealer. For third 
hand to double the second hand, after the dealer 
has passed without a bid, is asking the dealer to 
develop a strength which he has already denied 
(by passing). The same is true of fourth hand 
doubling third hand, after two passes. 

A double may be conventional on the second 
round of bids. The dealer bids no-trump, second 
and third hands pass. Fourth hand calls a suit, 
probably asking for a lead. If the dealer doubles, 
he has everything but that suit, and is calling on 
his partner to name his longest suit, no matter 
what it is. 

In this connection one must keep constantly in 
view the fact that one is plajdng to win the game, 
or to save it; not to score a few points above or 
below the line. To double a suit, the player 
should have a no-trumper, except for the suit 
called against him, and must be prepared to have 
his partner answer the double with an extremely 
weak suit, perhaps only four to a nine. 

Here are a few examples of opportunities to 



DOUBLING 59 

double second hand, the dealer calling a spade in 
each instance : 





No. 97 


No. 98 


s? 


Axxx 


7 AKxx 


^ 


KQxx 


C$3 AKxx 





Axxx 


AQx 


♦ 


X 


^ X X 


p 


No. 99 


No. 100 


7 


A Jxx 


7 AQxx 


<^ 


KlOxxx 


c^ XX 





AKlOx 


KQJxx 


(^ 





4) XX 



No. 97 is a poor double, because it is two to one 
that your partner will take you into a minor suit, 
and fail to go game. 

No. 98 is a good double. If third hand puts in 
a bid, and your partner does not say anything, 
you are strong enough to double again, and force 
your partner to show what he has. 

No. 99 is a good double, as you can support any- 
thing, or defeat the spade contract, if it is pushed. 
1 No. 100 is a very poor double, because your 
partner will inevitably pick the clubs, and you 
will have to struggle along with a minor suit to 
make a few points. If your partner has anything 
at all, you should defeat the spade contract. 

To double a no-trumper, there should be at least 
two high honors in three suits, so that if the part- 



60 AUCTION MADE EASY 

ner has to call a very weak four-card suit, it can be 
supported. With the lead, it is invariably better 
to say nothing. The fourth hand might take the 
same advice, as he does not care what his partner 
leads, he can probably save the game. If he can- 
not, he is wasting his breath doubling, and accom- 
plishing nothing beyond showing the declarer 
which hand to finesse against. 

A double fourth hand may find the partner with 
a big suit, but even then it might have been better 
to let him lead it. 

Doubling after an Assist 

This conventional double never comes until 
after the second round of the bids. Its object is to 
indicate to the partner where at least part of the 
assisting strength lies. This may either encourage 
him to persist with his suit, or perhaps shift to 
no-trumps. Here are some examples: 





No. 101 




No. 102 


No. 103 


7 


AlOx 


S? 


Qxx 


S? Axxx 


^ 


Kxxx 


<^ 


XX 


cSb AKxx 





X 





AKxxx 


xxxx 


♦ 


Axxxx 


♦ 


KQx 


♦ X 



In No. 101 the dealer bidding a spade, doubled 
second hand, you assist. In spite of this, fourth 
hand bids three hearts. If the dealer passes, 
you should double three hearts, instead of bidding 



DOUBLING 61 

three spades. The dealer can do that without 
increasing the contract. 

In No. 102 the dealer has bid a heart, second 
hand a spade. You assist, but the fourth hand 
goes to two spades, the dealer passing. Instead 
of showing the diamonds, which would be the 
ordinary way of coaxing the dealer to continue, 
double the two-spade bid. 

In No. 103 the dealer having bid a spade, 
passed by second hand, you bid two clubs to deny 
the spades, no-trump being a little risky. Fourth 
hand bids two hearts, the dealer and second hand 
passing. Now double two hearts. If the dealer 
has a diamond trick, he will perhaps go no-trumps. 

It should be observed that the dealer will know 
in each of these cases that there must be something 
else in the hand besides one trick in the opponents' 
suit, as that alone is not enough to justify an assist 
on the first round. 

The Defense to the Double 

When the second hand doubles the dealer's 
no-trumper, the best defense for the third hand is 
to pass, and wait to see what the fourth hand has 
to say, and what the dealer will do with it. But 
if the third hand holds pretty good cards, no suit 
long or strong enough to call, the best defense is 
to redouble. 

The second hand doubles a no-trumper because 
he thinks he is strong enough to support any suit 



62 AUCTION MADE EASY 

selected by his partner; the third hand redoubles 
for precisely the same reason. This puts the 
screws on the fourth hand, who must be pretty 
weak. 

When the second hand doubles the dealer's suit 
bid, that should not prevent the third hand from 
assisting, if he has an assist. If he waits until the 
fourth hand declares himself and then assists, his 
bid will not have the same meaning, but will 
look like a forlorn hope. If he cannot assist, 
he must let the fourth hand bid. 

On the other hand, let us suppose the third 
hand has three or four tricks in other suits, such 
as would have suggested a no-trumper to deny 
the dealer's suit, biit for the second hand double. 
The best defense is to redouble. Here again, the 
reason for the redouble is precisely the same as the 
reason for the double. The second hand is strong, 
except in the suit called by the dealer. So is the 
third hand. Now the fourth hand is in a tight 
place, because the odd trick, at redoubled value, 
goes game, if he leaves it in. Here are some 
examples: 



No. 104 




No. 105 


^ Qxx 


7 


Qxxx 


c^ KQxx 


<^ 


KlOxx 


Qxx 





KQxx 


(^ KJx 


♦ 


X 



In No. 104 the dealer has bid no-trump, doubled 
by the second hand. Third hand redoubles. 



DOUBLING 63 

That is infinitely better than bidding clubs, or 
passing. 

In No. 105 the dealer has bid a spade, doubled by- 
second hand. It looks as if all the spades were in 
the fourth hand, but third hand redoubles. This 
gives the dealer a line on the location of the 
spades, and he can shift if he likes, but the first 
shift will inevitably be made by the fourth hand 
who will either follow orders, and bid no-trump, 
if he can stop the spades twice, or he may take a 
chance at two spades. 

The danger of the conventional doubles lies in 
not making full allowance for the possibility of 
great weakness in the partner's hand. 

The Business Double 

This is the double to get penalties, when the 
opposing bidders have evidently gone beyond 
their depth. It does not usually come until the 
third round of bids. It may be said to be governed 
by three considerations. 

If it is apparent that neither side can win the 
game, either because it is not in the cards, or be- 
cause both sides have undertaken a contract they 
cannot make, it is better to double, so that the 
tricks may be worth 100 each, provided you are 
sure the adversaries can be set. 

If the double promises to be worth more than 
the game, even if you are pretty sure of winning 
the game, it is often good policy to take advantage 



64 AUCTION MADE EASY 

of it, because the game is not lost, and your chance 
of winning it eventually is as good as theirs. 

It is bad policy to double when the opponents 
have a shift that will take them out of the double, 
unless you are ready to double that also. This 
opportunity frequently arises w^hen each of the 
opposing partners has made a different call. 

In conclusion the " bluff " double might be 
mentioned. This is a weapon that is sometimes 
very effective in the hands of a bold and adven- 
turous player. Its object is usually to drive one 
of the opponents back into a contract that has 
been abandoned, when you have overbid your own 
hand. Suppose the player on your left has bid 
no-trumps, the one on your right hearts, and you 
have bid clubs until the player on your left 
doubles. A redouble may frighten the player on 
your right back into the hearts. 



SAVING THE GAME 

Before turning our attention to the play of the 
hands, after the bidding is finished, there is one 
point to which attention should be called, a proper 
understanding of which is vital to the success of 
every player. This is deliberately overbidding 
the hands and taking '' stings " to save the game 
or rubber. 

There are many persons who have a perfect 
mania for saving games, and who apparently 
think nothing of being " downed" for several 
hundred points with that laudable object in view. 
Granted that it is always worth while to overcall 
a hand one trick, even in the face of a sure double, 
especially if there are honors to score, in order to 
prevent the other side from scoring both tricks 
and honors, perhaps game; but to risk being set 
two or three tricks, even if the game is in danger, 
shows unfamiharity with the doctrine of chances. 

The game or rubber is not " saved" ; it is simply 
postponed. There is no guarantee that you will 
ultimately win it, either on the next, or any suc- 
ceeding deal. You may be called on to "save" 
it again, which is the same thing as throwing good 
money after bad. 

65 



66 AUCTION MADE EASY 

Let the other people do the saving, if they are 
willing to pay three or four hundred points for the 
luxury. Let that game or rubber go, and the 
good cards with which you hoped to win it, after 
postponing it, will give you the first game on 
the new rubber, which is equal to a 3 to 1 bet that 
you win it. Most games and rubbers are won 
or lost in the play of the cards, which we are 
now about to consider. 



THE PLAY 

The bidding finished, our consideration of the 
play of the hands may be divided into four parts; 
the declarer's play and the adversaries'; with a 
trump and at no-trumps. As the declarer's play 
depends largely upon a thorough understanding 
of the methods of the defense, we shall take up 
that part of the subject first, as the declarer cannot 
start his attack, nor plan the play of the hand, until 
he gets into the lead, and Ms adversaries always 
open the hand. 

Against Trump Declaeations 

Against any trump declaration, length in suit 
is not important to the defense, unless they have 
sufl&cient length in trumps to support it, which is 
unusual. High cards are everything, and the 
chief care should be not to carry home any aces. 

The Suit to Lead 

The selection of the suit for the opening lead 
depends on whether or not your partner has made 
a bid. There are four varieties of the situation. 
67 



68 AUCTION MADE EASY 

If you have any suit, not the trump, headed by 
both ace and king, lead the king of that suit, 
regardless of the bidding. Then, if your partner 
has bid a suit, you may follow with the best card 
you hold in his suit, regardless of number. 

If he has called a suit, and you have no ace-king 
suit, lead the best you have of his suit. 

If he has not shown a suit, lead your own suit. 

If either of you has called a suit, and you do not 
lead it, and you do not lead an ace-king suit, the 
card you do lead should be accepted by your part- 
ner as absolutely a singleton, asking for a ruff. 
Singletons are risky leads unless you can stop the 
declarer from taking out all your trumps, so as to 
try to get your partner in on some other suit, and 
allow him to give you the desired ruff. 

It is also bad policy to lead singletons if you 
have four triunps, and much better to lead your 
long suit, with a view to getting an early force on 
the declarer. 

In choosing a suit for the opening lead, always 
prefer those that have two or more " touching " 
honors at the top, such as A K, K Q, Q J, or J 10. 
Suits of only three or four cards should be avoided 
if headed by honors that do not touch, such as 
A Q, K J, or Q 10. If all the plain suits are of 
that character, it is usually better to lead the 
trump. Then your partner will understand that 
he can lead up to dummy's weak suits with con- 
fidence. 



THE PLAY 



The Card to Lead 

The opening lead of any card above the nine 
marks the suit as containing one or other of a 
certain group of combinations of high cards. The 
second lead usually marks the exact holding. 
Correct leading is one of the first requirements 
when you have a good player for a partner. If 
you bid right and lead right, no one can find much 
fault with your game. 

There are five high-card leads, and the class 
of hand from which each is led should be care- 
fully committed to memory, as this part of the 
game is purely mechanical. 

The King. This card is led more often 
than any other of the high cards in the 
pack. It should always be led if accom- 
panied by the ace or queen, or both. The com- 
bination must be one of the following, from all of 
which the correct opening lead is the king: 

1. AKQJ 2. AKQx 3. AKJx 

4. AKxx 5. KQJx 6. KQxx 

After leading the king from No. 1 or 2, follow 
with the queen in each case. Your partner knows 
you have the ace; show him the card he does not 
know. In No. 3, if the queen is not in dummy, it 
may be better to shift. That depends on what 
falls on your king. In No. 4 follow with the ace 



70 AUCTION MADE EASY 

to deny the queen. In No. 5 follow with the jack 
to deny the ace. (Compare this with the two leads 
from No. 1.) In No. 6 follow the king with 
a small card, to deny both ace and jack. 

The Ace. This card is led to deny the 
king. It is not a good opening lead unless 
the suit is five cards or more, or there are 
three honors. The following are all ace leads: 

7. AQJx 8. AQlOx 9. AJlOx 10. Axxx 

In No. 7 follow with the queen to show the jack. 
In No. 8 follow with the ten to show the queen and 
deny the jack. In No. 9 follow with the jack 
to deny the queen and show the ten. In No. 10 
follow with a small card. 

The Queen. This card is led from three 
combinations: 



11. QJlOx 12. QJ9x 13.QJXX 

With No. 11, if you hold the lead, or get in 
again, follow with the jack to show the ten. In 
No. 12 follow with a small card, unless the J 9 
have become equals through the ace or king and 
the ten having fallen. In No. 13 follow with a 
small card unless both ace and king have fallen. 

The Jack. The jack is led from jack 
ten and others. 

It is useless to lead a jack unsupported 
by the ten, unless it is the partner's indicated suit. 



THE PLAY 71 



±1± 



The Ten. The ten is led from only one 
combination, K J 10, if that suit must be 
led. 

If the cards that fall leave you at any time with 
the second- and third-best of a suit, such as the 
jack and ten, after the ace and queen have fallen, 
lead one of your equals, so as to force out the best 
and leave you with the command. Cards as 
small as the nine and six sometimes become 
equals. 

Leading Small Cards 

When there is no combination of high cards at 
the head of a suit that you wish to open, begin 
with the fourth-best, counting from the top, such 
as the 7 from K 9 8 7 4. This is called the card 
of uniformity, and is frequently of use to the part- 
ner, especially in playing against no-trumpers. 
It may also afford useful information to the 
declarer, who should mark the size of all original 
small-card leads very carefully. 

It is frequently necessary to lead very weak 
suits, or to open suits of three cards only. Two- 
card suits should be avoided, unless they are Q J, 
or J 10. When you open any other weak suits, 
your partner should know that you hold two 
more or no more. To make matters clear to him, 
always play weak suits down, beginning with the 
highest card. From 8 6 2, for instance, lead the 
8, and play or discard the 6 on the next round. 



72 AUCTION MADE EASY 

He can miss the deuce, as it does not fall, but if 
you play that card on the second round, he will 
be mystified about the six. 

Some Exercises 

Sort out the following hands, and suppose your- 
self to be the leader on the first trick. They have 
all resulted in spade contracts, the player on yoxu* 
right being the declarer. In No. 106 your part- 
ner has bid a heart. In the others neither of you 
have made a bid: 





No. 106 




No. 107 




No. 108 


7 


Jxxx 


s? 


QlOxx 


S? 


xxx 


♦ 


AKxx 


<^ 


Kxx 


^ 


AKxx 





J 





AKJ 





AQJxx 


♦ 


xxxx 


♦ 


XXX 





X 




No. 109 




No. 110 




No. Ill 


s? 


AQxx 


7 


KlOxxx 


7 


AJxx 


♦ 


QlOx 


* 


A Jxx 


* 


J 10 





KJxx 





X 





KJxx 


♦ 


XX 


♦ 


Axx 


♦ 


KJx 



Determine on your opening lead and the reasons 
for it, before consulting the key. 



LEADING TO SECONDARY BIDS 

There is one refinement in the matter of leading 
which many players do not pay sufficient attention 
to, and that is the necessity of distinguishing 
between free bids and secondary bids, when 
selecting the opening lead. 

We have seen that the partner does not usually 
support a secondary bid, unless he has two honors 
in the suit, neither should he lead it, unless he has 
at least one high honor, if he has any suit of his 
own that is headed by two honors. With two 
honors of any size in the secondary bid, he will lead 
that suit, whether he has supported it or not, 
if his partner fails to get the contract. 

This distinction is frequently important, but 
it belongs rather to the department of advanced 
play. The following exercises are given to illus- 
trate the difference it may make in certain hands. 
In each of these your partner was the dealer and 
made the first declaration; but in every case 
the player on your right eventually got the con- 
tract, so that it is your lead. 

The two rounds of bids are given, your partner 
making a secondary bid in each case, the final 
declaration being underlined, and the declarer 
73 



74 AUCTION MADE EASY 

being on your right. In the notation, N, or NT 
stands for no-trump, and p for pass. 

No. 112 No. 113 No. 114 



p H p p 


p NT p p 


D H 2C 2H 


S p p 2H 


2D 2N p p 


3D 3H p p 


7 Jxxx 


^ lOxxx 


^ X 


d^ AKx 


(^ Jxx 


cSb AKJxxx 


Kxx 


X 


2 


4) XXX 


4i KJxxx 


(^ lOxxxx 


No. 115 


No. 116 


No. 117 


C 3H p p 


p D H 2D 


S 2D p p 


as p p 4H 


2S 3D 3S 4D 


2H 2N p p 


S? lOxxx 


^ A'Qxxx 


S? XX 


<^ Qxx 


c^ 10 x X X 


cSb KQxxx 


xxxx 


X 


xxxx 


^ XX 


(^ AJx 


♦ Qx 



Taking into consideration the principles laid 
down for the management of secondary bids, and 
the nature of the bids made against them, pick 
out your lead in each of these, and the reason 
for it, before consulting the key. 



THE LEADER'S PARTNER 



WITH A TRUMP 

In describing the positions for the play of the 
hand, the terminology differs slightly from that 
used in connection with the bidding. In the 
bidding, the dealer is always first, the player to his 
left second hand, and so on. In the play the 
terms shift with the position of the lead on each 
trick. 

Starting with the first trick, the player to the 
left of the declarer is called the leader. The 
dummy is second hand, the leader's partner third 
hand, the declarer becoming fourth hand. In all 
succeeding tricks, no matter which of the four 
hands leads, we call the player to his left second 
hand, his partner third hand, and the player to 
the leader's right fourth hand. It is therefore 
evident who is second hand on one trick may be 
third, fourth or leader on the next. This ter- 
minology should be kept in mind in reading what 
follows. 

When a small card is led, the third hand tries 

to win the trick as cheaply as possible with equal 

cards. Holding both ace and king, for instance, 

he should play the king; holding king and queen, 

75 



76 AUCTION MADE EASY 

he should play the queen, holding king queen 
jack, the Jack. To play any of the higher cards 
would be to deny the next in value below and 
would deceive no one but his partner. The 
declarer knows neither he nor dununy has the 
denied card. 

With high cards not in sequence, the inter- 
mediate being in the dummy, the same rule must be 
followed. Holding king queen ten, the jack being 
in the dummy but not played, the ten is as good 
as the king. It looks like a cheap trick. To 
play the king would make a dear trick of it. It 
is just the same as if you said to your partner. 
"I had to pay a dollar for this trick, because I 
could not get it for fifty cents." 

Never finesse against your own partner. A 
finesse is an attempt to win a trick with a card 
which is neither the best you hold in that suit, 
nor in sequence with it. With the ace queen 
of your partner's suit, to play the queen is a finesse, 
if the king is not in dummy. Put on the ace. 

Asking for a Ruff 

When you make no attempt to win your part- 
ner's lead, either because you have no higher card, 
or because dummy shuts you out, play the smallest 
card you have of the suit, unless you have only 
two, neither as good as the jack, and want to get 
in a little trump. In that case play the higher 
of the two cards first, and when the lower falls 



THE LEADER'S PARTNER 77 

on the next round of the suit, or you discard it, 
your partner will know you can trump the third 
round. This is usually called the "down-and- 
out echo." 

It is not necessary to do this when one of the 
cards is as high as the jack, because when that card 
falls, your partner will know you have the queen 
or no more. If you play the jack to the first 
trick, he will read you for the queen or no more for 
the second round. 

Encouraging Cards 

It is sometimes doubtful whether or^'not your 
partner will continue a suit, and if you are anxious 
that he should do so, you may encourage him by 
playing any card higher than the six, although 
you have smaller ones. 

Suppose he starts with the ace of a suit, and that 
you happen to hold king and queen of that suit, 
together with smaller cards, let us say KQ84. 
He has no reason to think you have such strength 
in that suit, but by playing the eight, instead of 
the four, you encourage him to go right ahead with 
the same suit. 

Returning Suits 

The simplest rule is to return the best card you 
hold of your partner's suit (unless you have a 
card that will kill a good card in dummy), if you 



78 AUCTION MADE EASY 

get into the lead before he does. The fact that you 
may be leading up to the best card of that suit 
in dummy should not deter you, because your 
partner's suit is of no value until that card is out 
of his way. It is not wise, however, to lead up to a 
tenace, such as ace and queen, if your partner has 
the king. 

Shifting Suits 

When the player who has dummy on his left 
shifts suits for any reason, he should lead through 
dummy's strong suits, in preference to the weak 
ones, unless he knows just what his partner wants 
led. It is better to pick suits headed by honors 
not touching, going through ace-queen suits, 
or king-jack, if there is a chance that your partner 
holds the other high cards. When in doubt, it is 
sometimes just as well to give dummy any tricks 
that he must make eventually, no matter what 
you do, and it is always good play to take out 
his re-entry cards for his established suits. 

If the declarer has been in the lead, and has not 
led trumps, it is often good policy to lead them 
immediately on getting in, especially up to dum- 
my's weakness. A trump lead through the de- 
clarer may sometimes be suggested as advisable 
when it looks as if dummy were getting ready to 
ruff your good cards in some suit. 



LEADING AGAINST NO-TRUMPERS 

When there are no trumps to interfere with 
you, your suits are just as good as the declarer's, 
but owing to his having the preponderance of high 
cards he has more chances of re-entry for his suits, 
and also has the immense advantage of seeing two 
hands, and knowing exactly what can be done with 
them. 

The principles of selecting the suit to open are 
practically the same as those given for leading 
against trump declarations; but there are some 
slight differences in the selection of the high cards. 

Against a trump suit, the object is to make the 
high cards at the first opportunity, before the suit 
is discarded and trumped. In no-trumpers this 
danger does not exist, and the play must be to 
make some tricks with the smaller cards, after 
getting the higher out of the way. Looking 
toward this end, it is highly important so to arrange 
matters that no matter which of you gets into the 
lead later, you or your partner, the dregs of the 
suit may be made. This depends on two factors; 
correct leading on your part, so as to inform him 
exactly what you can accomplish, and unblocking 
on his part, so as to get out of the way of suits in 
which you are longer than he is. 
79 



80 AUCTION MADE EASY 

Against no-tmmpers, the high cards are not 
led except with three honors, or six or more cards 
in the suit. With as many as seven in suit, headed 
by ace and king, it is a common practice to lead the 
ace first, asking the partner to give up his highest 
card at once, and get out of your way. 

Holding only two honors at the top of a suit, 
with the average length of five cards, such as A K, 
K Q, or Q J, the fourth-best is the lead against 
no-trumpers; not the high card. 

With three honors, such as A Q J, the opening 
depends on whether or not there is any re-entry in 
another suit in the hand; such as an ace, a king- 
queen-suit, or a well-guarded king. If there is no 
such re-entry, lead the queen, so as to get the king 
out of the way at once, and stUl leave your part- 
ner with one of the suit to lead, in case he has only 
two. He may be able to get into the lead, even 
if you cannot. With A J 10, start with the jack 
for the same reason. If you have a re-entry, 
lead just as you would against a trump contract, 
the ace first in both cases. With three honors, 
such as K Q 10, and small cards, lead the king. 

In leading against no-trumpers it is never 
necessary to show an ace-king suit unless your 
partner has called a suit. 

Begin with the longest suit in your hand, and 
keep the high cards in the shorter suits for re- 
entries. In example No. 108, for instance, against 
a no-trumper, begin with the ace of diamonds. 
The following are some additional examples of 



LEADING AGAINST NO-TRUMPERS 81 

the difference between opening a hand against 
a trump or no-trumps: 





No. 118 




No. 119 


No. 120 


7 


XX 


s? 


XX 


^ XXX 


^ 


AKx 


^ 


XXX 


cj) AKx 





Jxxxx 





AQJxxx 


AKxxx 


♦ 


XXX 


♦ 


XX 


^ XX 



In No. 118, either major suit being the trump, 
lead the king and ace of clubs immediately. 
Against a no-trumper lead the fourth-best dia- 
mond. 

In No. 119, either major suit being the trump, 
lead the ace and queen of diamonds. Against a 
no-trumper begin with the queen. 

In No. 120, either major suit being the trump, 
lead out the two kings, one after the other, and 
continue according to developments. Against 
a no-trumper, lead the fourth-best diamond. 



THE LEADER'S PARTNER 



AT NO-TRUMP 

When the third hand makes no attempt to win 
his partner's lead, which may happen if he has no 
higher card, or if dummy heads him off, he should 
play the second-best he holds in the suit, regardless 
of number or value. This is called the Foster echo, 
and it has the advantage over all other echoes, 
in being more useful to the leader than to the 
declarer. 

With three or more of the suit, always keep the 
smallest card to the last, whether in returning 
the lead, following suit, or discarding. Holding 
J 10 3, for instance, a higher card already on the 
trick, play the ten the first time and the jack the 
next. Holding four in suit, such as J 10 8 3, 
play the ten the first time and the eight the next, 
as that is now the second-best. This marks you 
with one higher and one lower than the first card 
played. The object of this echo is twofold; to 
avoid all possibility of blocking the partner's long 
suit, and to expose any false cards played by 
the declarer. 

82 



THE LEADER'S PARTNER 83 



The Eleven Rule 

When your partner starts with a small card, 
the fourth-best of his long suit, there is no way of 
telling whether he has any high cards or not, or 
what they are; but you can always tell how 
many high cards he does not hold among those 
higher than the card he leads, by applying the 
eleven rule. 

I invented this rule in the old whist days, but 
it has been found even more useful in bridge, on 
account of the exposed hand, and every person with 
any pretensions to being an expert should be thor- 
oughly familiar with the rule, and the manner of 
its application. 

The rule is this: Deduct the spots on the card 
led from eleven. The remainder is the number 
of cards, higher than the one led, that are not in 
the leader's hand. By deducting from the re- 
mainder thus found the number of such cards 
in the dummy and your own hand, the difference 
must be in the hand of the declarer. To illustrate : 

Your partner leads; dummy's cards are laid 
down before you play, and you are third hand: 

7 led; Dummy's, Q 5 2; Yours, A J 9 3. 

Deducting 7 from 11, the remainder is 4. There 
are four cards in sight, all higher than the 7, of 
which you have three, dummy one. Therefore 
there is no second remainder, and if dununy does 
not put on the queen the seven will hold the trick 



84 AUCTION MADE EASY 

if you play the trey. If you doubt this, take any 
suit of thirteen cards, lay out those indicated and 
give your partner any three you like, higher than 
the seven, so that it shall be his fourth-best. 
Again : 

6 led; Dummy's, Q 10 3; Yours, A 9 7. 
Deducting 6 from 11 leaves 5, all in sight. If 

dummy does not play the ten, your seven will win 
the trick. 

The appHcation of this rule in connection with 
the bids requires a little closer attention. For 
example: Your partner has dealt and passed 
without a bid, but he leads a minor suit, let us 
say clubs, and this is the situation: 

7 led; Dummy, J 6 3; Yours, Q 8 4. 

The seven is clearly a fourth-best, unless the 
declarer holds six of the suit, in which case your 
play does not matter. Deducting 7 from 11, you 
get 4. There are only 3 in sight, so the declarer 
must have one of the suit which is higher than 
the seven. If you think of the bidding a moment, 
it is clear that this must be ace or king, because 
if your partner held both those cards he would 
have bid a club as dealer. It is therefore needless 
to play the queen, which would free the jack in 
dummy, as the dealer will have to play the ace 
or king to beat the seven. 

The declarer should be alert to apply this rule 
in order to protect himself against these deep plays 
by the third hand. He will also find it useful on 
many occasions in putting up one of dummy's 



THE LEADER'S PARTNER 85 

medium cards on the first trick that will hold the 
lead. For example: 

7 led; Dummy's K 9 2; Declarer's, J lO^S 4. 

Dummy's nine will hold the first trick, as third 
hand cannot have anything as good as the seven. 

Second-hand Play 

The play of the second hand, when led through, 
is alike at trumps and no-trumps. With the 
dummy exposed on the left, the usual rule is to 
cover an honor with an honor, so as to force the 
declarer to play two high cards to win one trick. 
With four in suit it is not necessary to cover, nor 
when your honor cannot be caught. It is also 
useless to cover if all the high cards are shown 
against you, such as a queen led through your 
king to ace jack ten in the dummy. 

With the dummy on your right, cover an honor 
with an honor, except with four in suit, or all the 
high cards marked against you. 

A good general rule for second-hand is to play 
a high card second hand, on a small card led, 
when you hold any combination of high cards 
from which you would lead a high card; but win 
the trick as cheaply as possible. With ace king, 
play the king second hand. With king queen, 
play the queen. With queen jack, it is not 
necessary to play the jack if you have more than 
three in the suit, no higher card in dummy on your 
right. 



86 AUCTION MADE EASY 

Holding honors not touching, such as ace 
queen, or king jack, it is better to play a small 
card on a small card led through you; but if a 
jack is led through ace queen, put on the ace. 
This is the only chance to make both ace and 
queen. 

The Discards 

Against any declaration, the simplest rule is to 
keep guard on the suits you are afraid of, which 
will of course be your weak suits. If you hold 
three to the jack in one suit and four to the ace 
king jack in another, it is not the suit that has 
three honors in it which the declarer is going to 
lead when he switches. Discard from that and 
hold the three to the jack. 

Jack in one hand, queen in the other, either 
twice guarded, will stop any suit, if you do not 
lead it yourself. 

Encouraging cards are frequently used in dis- 
cards, and they serve two purposes. By showing 
protection in one suit, from which you discard a 
seven or better, you give your partner an oppor- 
tunity to protect some other suit, nothing being 
so annoying as to find at the end of a hand that 
you have both been protecting the same suit, when 
each of you might have kept guard on a different 
one, stopping them both. 

Holding AK8 3, for instance, and having to 
discard, 4)lay the eight, instead of the three. If 



THE LEADER'S PARTNER 87 

you afterwards drop the trey, it indicates a sure 
trick in that suit. Many make a distinction be- 
tween completing an echo in the discard in this 
manner, and simply playing one encouraging card. 

With K 10 7 2, for instance, if you discard the 
seven, do not follow it with the deuce. If you 
must discard from that suit again, let go the ten. 
This shows protection only; not a sure trick, like 
the eight-trey discard. 

These discards are used indiscriminately at 
trumps or no-trumps. 



THE DECLAKER'S PLAY 

The play of the declarer falls naturally into two 
divisions — with a trump and without. These are 
managed so differently that they might almost 
be considered as two distinct games, but one 
leading principle runs through both, and until 
a player has thoroughly mastered that principle 
he can never hope to become an expert. It is this : 

When the dummy's cards are laid down, there 
are always a certain number of sure tricks in sight, 
which are easily counted up. They seldom 
equal the nimiber contracted for. The first 
question to decide, therefore, is where the remain- 
ing tricks are to come from that will bring the 
result up to the contract, or the game, or a slam. 

With a trump suit, the first consideration is 
the management of the trump suit itself. The 
plain suits are handled in about the same way at 
trumps or no-trumps, so far as winning cards are 
concerned. As the management of the trump suit 
is very much like the management of any strong 
suit at no-trumps, the first matter to demand 
attention is the manner in which certain tricks 
may be secured that are not in plain sight when the 
dummy is laid down. • 

88 



THE DECLARER'S PLAY 89 

The first of these, and the most obvious, is to 
take tricks with cards which are not sure winners, 
if possible. This is called finessing. The second 
is to make the small cards of a long suit good for 
tricks by getting all the high cards out of the way. 
This is called estabHshing a suit. The whole art 
of getting the extra tricks that are required to 
fulfill the contract, win the game, or make a slam, 
is a combination of these two simple elements. 
The chief difference between the play of the 
declarer and that of his adversaries, is that they 
never finesse. The declarer, therefore, has always 
what might be called an extra weapon, which they 
cannot use. As this is constantly used in every 
hand the declarer plays, we shall consider it first. 

Finessing 

As already explained, a finesse is any attempt 
to win a trick with a card which is not the best 
you hold in that suit, nor in sequence with it. 
The type, familiar to every player, is ace queen in 
one hand, small cards in the other. If the king 
is on the right of the ace-queen, two tricks can be 
made by leading from the weak hand and finessing 
the queen. In the same way, holding king and 
jack, the finesse of the jack will "drive" the ace, 
if the queen is on the right. A larger element is 
with ace queen and jack in one hand. If the 
finesse Jpf the jack wins the first time, the weaker 
hand should be put in the lead again to finesse 



90 AUCTION MADE EASY 

the queen on the second round. So with king 
jack ten; if the finesse of the ten drives the ace, 
another lead from the weaker hand allows the 
finesse of the jack on the second round. 

These finesses are carrying out the first principle 
of play; trying to win tricks with cards which are 
not the best you hold, and therefore not sure 
winners. They fail about as often as they suc- 
ceed, but if these finesses are not made it is im- 
possible to get any more out of the cards than 
shows on the surface. A hundred finesses will 
net fifty tricks more than a hundred refusals to 
finesse, and frequently bring additional tricks in 
their train by retaining command of certain 
suits. 

In addition to the simple finesses already 
described, there are finesses against two cards, 
the play being based on the probability that 
these two cards are not in the same hand. The 
typical case is the ace jack ten in one hand, small 
cards in the other. There are three possible 
positions for the king and queen; both in one 
hand to the right, both to the left, or, divided. 
If they are both to the left of the ace, they both 
win. In any other position, by finessing the ten 
the first time, in case a higher card is not played 
second hand, and finessing the jack next time, 
two tricks can be made in the suit. All these 
double finesses depend for their success on the 
abiUty of the weaker hand to get into the lead 
often enough to make them. 



THE DECLARER'S PLAY 91 

^ The adversaries of the declarer never finesse. 
li the dummy is on your left, all you have to do is 
to look at it to see if you can win a trick with a card 
which is not the best you hold in that suit when you 
are second or third hand. If the dummy is on 
your right, any finesse against the declarer is 
also against your own partner. If your partner 
leads a small card and you finesse the queen from 
ace-queen, the king not being in dummy, the queen 
is thrown away if the king is with the declarer. 
If your partner has the king it does not matter 
which card you play, so you should play the ace. 

In addition to the finesses made by the declarer in 
suits that he leads himself, there are second-hand 
finesses in suits led through him. A small card 
led, dummy being second hand with ace queen, 
might finesse the queen, hoping the leader had the 
king of that suit. 

When a finesse can be taken in either hand, such 
as when one hand holds ace jack, the other king 
ten, the decision as to which side to take it on 
usually depends on some outside consideration, 
such as keeping a certain adversary out of the 
lead, or retaining the conmiand in a certain hand. 
In many cases it is not wise to finesse until the 
second round, if at all. 

To lead the queen from one hand to the ace in 
the other is not a finesse. If those two cards are 
divided, and the suit must be led, lead a small 
card from the ace to the queen. The hope is 
that the king is on the left of the ace. It is 



92 AUCTION MADE EASY 

equally bad play to lead the jack to the ace queen, 
without the ten in either hand. Lead a small 
card and finesse the queen, or lead a small card 
from the ace-queen hand to the jack. 

Establishing the small cards of a suit being 
more important at no-trumps than with a trump, 
we shall leave that part of the subject until we 
come to playing no-trumpers, and turn our atten- 
tion first to the management of the trump suit 
in itself. 

Declarer's Trump Management 

The majority of the mistakes made in trump 
management are in leading trumps too soon. The 
natural tendency of the beginner is to get out the 
adversaries' trumps at the first opportunity, 
but there are six distinct situations in which this 
would be bad play. They are as follow: 

1. With no good suit to protect, to exhaust the 
trumps would only clear the field for the free play 
of the high cards in plain suits in the hands of the 
opponents. 

2. When dummy can ruff your losing cards with 
his small trumps, which you would exhaust if you 
led trumps. 

3. When there are losing cards in either hand 
that can be discarded to advantage, it is often bet- 
ter to get rid of them before leading trumps, 
especially if the adversaries can stop the trump 
lead and lead the suit you wish to discard. 



THE DECLARER'S PLAY 93 

4. When there is a sure cross-ruff between the 
two hands, it is usually better to make the trumps 
separately. 

5. When the lead is in the wrong hand for a 
finesse in the trump suit, it may be necessary to 
arrange first to get the other hand in the lead in 
some one of several ways. 

6. When it is necessary to establish a suit by 
ruffing it out; that is, by leading one or two 
winning cards and then trumping the adversaries' 
commanding cards in that suit, this must often 
be done before trumps are led. 

Keeping these principles in view, lay out the 
following hands, the upper of which is dummy's, 
the lower your own, and hearts are trumps, there 
having been no other bid. The opening lead is 
indicated under each hand. 





No. 121 




No. 122 




No. 123 


s? 


xxxx 


V 


XXX 


V 


XXX 


♦ 


xxxx 


* 


X 


^ 


XX 





AJxx 





AQxxx 





lOxxx 


4> 


X 


♦ 
^ 


xxxx 




Kxxx 


V 


AQJxx 


AKQxxx 


AKQxx 


«> 


Kx 


* 


Axx 


* 


AQJxx 





10 x 





XX 





X 


♦ 


A 10 XX 


♦ 


XX 


♦ 


XX 




Kled 




<^ Kled 


^ A-Q LED 



94 AUCTION MADE EASY 

Make a note of the manner in which you would 
manage the trump suit in each of these, before 
consulting the key. Then lay out the following: 





No. 124 




No. 125 




No. 126 


^ 


XXX 


^ 


AJ9 


^ 


XXX 


c?> 


AKQx 


<^ 


AQxxx 


* 


Kxxx 





XXX 





Kxxxx 


0- 


XX 


♦ 


KQx 
A K 10 XX 


♦ 
^ 




♦ 
7 


Kxxx 


^ 


KQ108XX 


AQJx 


* 


X 


c2> 


XXX 


* 


Jx 





Axx 










Axxx 


^ 


xxxx 


♦ 


xxxx 


♦ 


XX 



K LED d^ 10 LED K LED 

A careful study of these examples will give one 
a very good idea of the various ways in which 
trumps must be handled in connection with the 
plain suit. 

Declarer's Play Second Hand 

Before taking up the no-trumpers, there are a 
few points about the declarer's play when he or 
dummy is second hand that apply equally to 
trump contracts and no-trumpers. The differ- 
ence between the declarer's second-hand play and 
that of his adversaries is that he sees both hands. 
The following situations should be carefully 



THE DECLARER'S PLAY 95 

studied. Which hand holds the combination given 
does not matter, dunamy or declarer. 

With Q X in one hand, A x x in the other, if the 
ace is led through, let it go up to the queen; but 
if the queen is led through, the better chance for 
two tricks in the suit is to play the singly-guarded 
queen, which must fall to the king on the second 
round. The same is true of Q x in one hand and 
K X X in the other; but if the ten is with the ace 
or the king, never play the singly-guarded queen 
second hand, as two tricks are a certainty by letting 
the lead come up to the A 10 x, or K 10 x. The 
same holds with J x in one hand, K x x in the 
other. The only chance for two tricks is to put 
on the jack second hand. 

In playing no-trumpers, allowance must be made 
for the fact that small cards are led from suits 
which would be high-card leads if there were a 
trump. With Q x in the dummy, nothing above 
the nine in yom* hand, the only chance is to put up 
the queen second hand, hoping the adversary is 
leading away from an ace-king suit. 

As a general rule, do not play a high card 
second hand if you have an equally high card 
fourth hand, and have three of the suit in each. 
For instance, with Qxx in one hand; Kxx in 
the other, play small second hand. When both 
cards are winners, such as ace in one hand, king 
in the other, the decision depends on which hand 
needs the high card for some purpose later on, such 
as re-entry for a suit. 



96 AUCTION M^DE EASY 

Although the eleven rule is used chiefly by the 
adversaries, the declarer must be on the alert to 
avail himself of the information it conveys, and 
protect himself by putting on high or intermediate 
cards from dummy. Suppose the seven is led 
and dummy lays down J 9 5 3, you holding 6 2 
only. If dummy plays a small card, the third 
hand will duck the seven, as he can count, by the 
eleven rule, that you cannot beat it. By putting ' 
on the nine from dummy, you are sure to make 
the jack, as there are only three of the suit on your 
right, two of which are higher than the seven. 



DECLARER'S PLAY AT NO-TRUMP 

The success of all no-trump play depends on a 
preliminary siu-vey of the two hands, and the 
laying out of a definite plan upon which they shall 
be played. The importance of comiting up the 
sure tricks and seeing how many more will have 
to be won by the skillful use of finessing, and 
estabhshing small cards, or making re-entries, 
has already been pointed out. The next, and 
probably the most important thing in the game, 
is to eliminate from consideration all suits in which 
nothing can be accomplished, no matter how 
you play them. Beginners waste a great deal of 
time and thought on things over which they have 
no control, instead of concentrating their attention 
on that part of the hand which they can manipu- 
late to advantage. 

• Here are two examples of this principle of elimin- 
ation: ^ 

No. 127 No. 128 

S? AK 7 AJx 

cJvAKQxx c?)KQxx 

AJxx AJlOx 

(^' XX <:^ Kx ■ 

Both these are no-trumpers. In No. 127 the 
king of diamonds is the opening, evidently from 
K Q 10 and others. Dummy has nothing at all. 
There is nothing to think about in hearts, clubs, 



98 AUCTION MADE EASY 

or spades. Those suits must be left to play 
themselves; but if the diamond king is allowed 
to win, and another diamond is led, you make two 
tricks in that suit, this is called the Bath coup. 
Then, if the clubs drop, it is a game hand. If 
they do not drop, nothing wiU win the game. 
This saves a great deal of thinking, and enables 
one to play the hand with confidence and dispatch. 

In No. 128 the opening is the eight of hearts. 
Dummy has nothing but the A J x in clubs, and 
four diamonds to the nine eight. You win the 
queen, played fourth hand, with the ace of hearts. 
There is nothing to think about in this hand 
except to prevent the player on your right from 
leading through your jack of hearts, or king of 
spades. Unless you see this danger, he might do 
either or both. 

• To prevent such a play, in so far as possible, 
put dunrniy in with a club, and lead the nine of 
diamonds, passing it up if it is not covered. It 
does not matter how often the player on your 
left gets into the lead, unless he tries a spade, and 
the ace is on your right; but that is something over 
which you have no control. Attend to the part of 
the hand that you can control. 

A very useful rule in selecting a suit to go for at 
no-trump, is to count up the cards in each, and 
to play for the suit in which you have the greatest 
number of cards, taking both dummy's and your 
own altogether. If they are equal, take the 
one that has the greater number in one hand, a 



. DECLARER'S PLAY AT NO-TRUMP 99 

suit that lies five and three being better than one 
that hes four and four. 

• In playing such suits, be careful to play the high 
cards from the hand that is shorter in the suit, if 
there are equals, so as to get out of the way of 
the longer holding. This is called " unblocking." 
With A Q X in one hand, K J x x x in the other, for 
instance, lead ace and then queen and then small. 

In bringing long suits into play, re-entry cards 
are very important, and if there is a choice of 
suits it is better to go for the one that has re- 
entries in the same hand, to get the lead with, 
after the last of the adversaries' high cards is 
gone. Re-entry cards have often to be played for 
from the first trick, if the necessity for them is 
foreseen. Holding ace and king of a suit in dif- 
ferent hands, which to play first may depend on 
which is wanted later for a re-entry. If the only 
re-entry is in the suit itself, it may be necessary 
to "duck" the first round. 

Leading from the weak hand to the strong is very 
important. Never lead away from a king when 
you have nothing in the other hand unless you can- 
not avoid it. If you foresee that you will have to 
lead that suit sometime, lead it to the king while 
you have the opportunity. All finessing is done 
by leading from the weak hand to the strong. 

It is usually well to hold up the command of 
suits you are afraid of until the adversary who 
is shorter in that suit is exhausted, especially if 
you can finesse against his partner in other suits. 



100 AUCTION MADE EASY 

If you give up the command too soon, no matter 
which adversary gets in, they make their suit. 
• As nothing better impresses principles on the 
memory than practice, the reader is advised to 
lay out the following hands and study their 
characteristics, with a view to determining how 
they should be played. They are all no-trumpers, 
the upper hand being dummy's, the lower hand 
yours, and the lead indicated. 





No. 129 




No. 130 




No. 131 


s? 


Qxxx 


S? 


XX 


S? 


Qxx 


<^ 


Kxx 


<?> 


10 X X x X 


<^ 


X 





XXX 





109x 





KJxxxx 


♦ 


Kxx 




Qxx 


7 


KQJ 


7 


10 X 


AQ 


Jxxx 


* 


AQxx 


c?^ 


AKx 


<^ 


A Jxxx 





Q J 10 X X 





KQxxxx 





Ax 


♦ 


Ax 


♦ 


Jx 


♦ 


Ax 




BPADE LED 




HEART LED 




SPADE LED 




No. 132 




No. 133 




No. 134 


^ 


XX 


^ 


Qxx 


^ 


XX 


<^ 


AKxxxx 


* 


KlOx 


^ 


A Jxxxx 





XXX 





QJxx 





XX 


♦ 


XX 

AQx 


♦ 
^ 


Kxx 




XXX 


7 


Jxxx 


AKxx 


<^ 


XX 


<^ 


Ax 


* 


Qx 





AQxx 





A 10 XX 





Axx 


♦ 


AKxx 


♦ 


Axx 


♦ 


KQxx 


I HEART LED . 


. CLUB 8 LED 


DIAMOND K LED ' 



DECLARER'S PLAY AT NO-TRUMP 101 





No. 135 




No. 136 




No. 137 


^ 


KQxx 


^ 


Qxx 


s? 


XXXX 


c?> 


Axx 


^ 


AQxx 


<^ 


10 XX 





Kxx 





XXX 





AQJ 


♦ 


XXX 


♦ 
s? 


Axx 


♦ 
s? 


XXX 


s? 


AJ 


Axx 


A J 10 


<^ 


KQJx 


* 


K J X X 


* 


Axxx 





XXXX 





AKx 





XXX 


♦ 


Axx 


♦ 


Qxx 


♦ 


AQx 


SPADE K LED 


DIAMOND LED 


SPADE LED 




No. 138 




No. 139 


No. 140 


7 


QJ 


7 


KJx 


^ 


XXXX 


* 


Ax 


* 


XXX 


<> 


A 





AJlOxxx 





Jxx 





XX XXXX 


♦ 


XXX 


♦ 


XXXX 


♦ 


XX 



S? AKx ^ 

<f^ Qxxxx 

A 

^ A 10 XX 

HEART LED 



^ AlOx ^ Kx 

C$5 AJlOxx c$) KQJlOx 

AQx Kx 

^Kx (^K10 9x 



HEART 7 LED 



SPADE A-Q LED 



These should be studied carefully before con- 
sulting the key, making notes not only of the play^ 
but of the reasons for it. 



KEY TO THE EXERCISES 

No. 31. No-trump, with three suits good 
enough to go back to no-trumps if the partner calls 
hearts. This is a border-line no-trumper. 

No. 32. Pass. Not long enough in the major 
suits. 

No. 33. A diamond. The hearts are a second- 
ary bid. 

No. 34. A heart, with' spades as a secondary- 
bid of the partner denies the hearts, or goes no- 
trump. 

No. 35. Pass. Not strong enough in hearts. 

No. 36. A spade; not no-trump. 

No. 37. A spade, the higher ranking suit first. 

No. 38. Pass. The hearts are not up to stand- 
ard, and there is nothing outside to support them. 

No. 39. Pass. There is not strength enough in 
high cards in diamonds, nor length enough in 
spades. Good secondary bid. 

No. 40. A spade, the higher ranking suit. 

No. 41. A spade, the higher ranking suit. 

No. 42. A diamond, the higher ranking suit. 
A sporty no-trumper could not be seriously ob- 
jected to on such hands as this, although the 
club suit is not technically '-* solid." 



102 



• 



KEY TO THE EXERCISES 103 

No. 60. Bid no-trump. 

No. 61. Pass. Never go into a minor suit 
while you have average assistance for the partner's 
suit. 

No. 62. Bid the hearts. If the dealer denies 
them, go back to the diamonds. 

No. 63. Pass. 

No. 64. Bid two clubs, to reopen the bidding. 

No. 65. Pass. You are not asked to deny the 
hearts. 

No. 66. No-trump, so as to have the advantage 
of getting the minor suits led up to,' instead of 
exposing them on the table to be led through. 

No. 67. Pass, or bid no-trinnps. The 100 aces 
look tempting, but they might not win the game 
at no-trumps, whereas it should be a certainty 
in spades. 

No. 68. No trump. If the dealer holds ace- 
king'^of clubs this should be a game hand. 



No. 106. Lead the king of clubs and then the 
top heart. 

No. 107. Lead the king of diamonds, and if the 
queen is not in dummy, it may be advisable to 
shift suits. 

No. 108. Lead the king of clubs and then the 
ace queen of diamonds. 

No. 109. Lead the top trump. 

No. 110. Lead the singleton diamond. 

No. 111. Lead the jack of clubs. 



104 __ AUCTION MADE EASY 

No. 112. Lead the king of clubs to see what 
falls and what dummy holds. 

No. 113. Lead the fourth-best spade; your 
own suit. 

No. 114. Lead the king of clubs and then the 
singleton diamond. This being the deuce, you 
cannot have any more. 

No. 115. Lead the queen of clubs, not the 
spade. 

No. 116. Lead ace and jack of spades. Let 
your partner lead the hearts, in which you hold 
tenace. 

No. 117. Lead the suit first named, spades. 
Although the declarer must have both suits 
stopped, he would not risk no-trumps on the first 
round of the bids. 

No. 121. Win the first trick with dummy's 
ace, and finesse the jack of trumps. If that holds, 
trump the second round of spades and lead 
another trump from dunamy, finessing the queen. 
Let dummy trump another spade, and then lead 
a small diamond, which must drive the queen, 
as you have the ten. 

No. 122. Win the club with the ace and return 
the suit, letting dummy trump it. Put yourself 
in with a trump lead, and let duimny trump an- 
other club. Then lead a spade, and let them 
develop the diamonds. 

No. 123. Dummy wins the second round of 
spades. Lead the clubs, while dummy is in, as he 
can never get in again, and finesse the jack. If 



KEY TO THE EXERCISES 105 

that holds, lay down the ace and let dummy trump 
the third round if the king does not fall. This 
is an example of " ruffing out a suit." Then lead 
trumps. 

No. 124. Win the trick with the ace and lead 
clubs three times, so as to get discards of those 
two losing diamonds. Then two rounds of trumps. 
If the queen does not fall, lead a spade, from the 
weak hand to the strong. If the ace is on your 
left you make both king and queen. 

No. 125. If the lead is from K J 10, the queen 
will win the first trick, but do not risk it. Play 
the ace. Lead a small diamond and trump it. 
Then let dummy trump a spade. It is impossible 
for either adversary to over-trump you until you 
have made nine trumps separately, which, with 
the ace of clubs, wins the game. To finesse the 
queen of clubs on the first trick^would show a want 
of care in counting up the possible tricks in this 
hand. 

No. 126. Win the trick with the ace, and return 
the suit, instead of risking killing dummy's kings. 
Let the adversaries develop the hand and do the 
guessing. 



No. 129. Win the first trick with the king in 
dummy, so as to lead twice from that hand for 
the A-J-10 finesse in diamonds. The other re- 
entry is the king of clubs. 

No. 130. Play for the suit that is longest be- 
tween the two hands. There are 5 spades, 8 clubs, 



106 AUCTION MADE EASY 

and 9 diamonds. In leading the diamonds, be 
careful to play the high cards from the hand that 
is short in the suit. The king and queen must 
be led, and at the same time, dummy must give up 
the ten and nine. 

No. 131. Overtake dunomy's trick with the 
ace, and lead three rounds of diamonds, playing 
the king on the second round, without risking the 
finesse. If both adversaries follow suit to the 
second round, even if the queen does not fall, it is 
a game hand. The spades are re-entries. 

No. 132. Winning the first heart lead, play a 
small club and "duck" it. You cannot catch the 
Q J 10 in two leads, but unless one adversary 
has four of the suit, you will drop all the clubs 
in the next two rounds. You cannot lead more 
than twice. This is a case of the only re-entry 
being in the suit itself. 

No. 133. By the eleven rule, play the club ten 
second hand from dummy. Then lead the queen 
of diamonds. If the king is on your right, it is a 
game hand, not otherwise. This is an example of 
the one thing to be done. 

No. 134. Let the diamonds run three times, 
to exhaust the player on your ,right, as you are 
going to finesse the clubs, and expect the player 
on your right to win a club trick. 

No. 135. After winning the spade king with the 
ace, to make sure of four heart tricks and game, 
you must lead the ace and jack of hearts, letting 
them both win, before you start the clubs. 



KEY TO THE EXERCISES 107 

No. 136. After winning the first diamond trick 
with the king, lead a small heart from the ace 
to the queen; and the small spade from dmnmy 
to your queen. If either of the two queens wins a 
trick, it is a game hand, not otherwise. 

No. 137. After winning the first trick, lead dia- 
monds to dummy for the A-Q-J finesse, and play to 
lead hearts from dummy to your own hand for the 
A-J-10 finesse. If the first diamond finesse holds, 
the hearts may drop and you will make the long 
heart in dummy. 

No. 138, Overtake the jack of hearts with the 
king, so as to make the queen a re-entry in the 
dummy, in addition to the ace of clubs, because 
dummy requires two re-entries; one to clear the 
diamonds by getting the king out of the way, 
and the other to bring the diamonds into play. 
Use the heart re-entry first, as you still control 
that suit, instead of giving up the conmaand of the 
clubs. 

No. 139. As it will be necessary to lead clubs 
twice for the A-J-10 finesse, play the jack of hearts 
second hand, instead of letting the lead come 
up to the ace ten. If the seven is a fourth-best, 
the jack will hold. If the second finesse in clubs 
holds, you win the game by making two diamonds, 
or a diamond and a spade, before losing control of 
the adversaries' heart suit. 

No. 140. By winning the second round of 
spades with the king and at once returning one 
of your equals, the ten, you drive the jack, and at 



108 AUCTION MADE EASY 

the same time get rid of the ace of clubs in the 
dummy. Now whatever is led next, you get in, 
and run down the clubs, with the spade nine to 
the good. 

Many examples might be given of playing hands 
according to the bidding and doubling that has 
preceded the final call, but such would be rather 
too complicated for aVork of this kind, so much of 
the average bidding being either unsound or 
bluff. As a general rule, however, one may finesse 
freely over a player who has bid a suit originally, 
if one can lead that suit through him; and may 
safely take finesses against a player who has bid 
no-trumps, and abandoned it. 

All such refinements are matters of long 
practice at the card table. The object of the 
foregoing pages is to give the average player a 
foundation upon which to build up a sound and 
dependable game; to teach him how to bid right 
and to lead right, which is more than one in a 
thousand can do to-day. 



GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS 



Adversaries. — The eldest hand and his partner; the opponents 

of the declarer. 
Answer. — The cards laid down by the dummy. 
Bath Coup. — ^Holding up the A- J when the king is led by 

the player on your left. Usually at no-trumps. 
Blocking. — ^Keeping the highest card of a suit which is longer 

in the hand of another player. 
Book. — The first six tricks won by the declarer, which do not 

count; or the difference betAveen the contract and 

seven, which is the adversaries' book. 
Bringing in. — Getting into the lead and making tricks with 

the dregs of a suit, after the higher cards have been 

forced out of the way. 
By cards. — The number of tricks over the book. For the 

declarer, eight tricks would be two by cards. 
Command. — The best card of a suit, the power to stop that 

suit, no matter who leads it. 
Conventional. — ^Any method of bidding or play that has 

been estabhshed by custom, either to give information 

or to comply with certain conditions. 
Coup. — ^A master stroke, or brilliant piece of strategy. 
109 



110 AUCTION MADE EASY 

Covering. — Playing a higher card than the one led or played, 
but not the best of the suit. 

Cross ruff. — ^The partners alternately trumping two different 

suits. 

Cutting. — Drawing a card from a pack spread face downward, 
or separating the pack before the deal. 

Deschapelles Coup. — Sacrificing a high card in one hand in 
order to make an inferior card in the partner's hand 
good for re-entry. 

Discarding. — Throwing away a card of a suit other than 
the suit led, but not a trump. 

Doubling. — Increasing the value of the trick points; or, a 
conventional way of asking the partner to bid his hand. 

Doubtful cards. — Cards that are not thejbest of the suit, 
but which might hold the trick if not covered. 

Drive. — ^To play a card that forces out a higher card that 
is wanted out of the way. 

Ducking. — Refusing to win a trick when well able to do so. 
Dummy. — The declarer's partner, after his cards are laid 

down. 
Duplicate. — ^Any method in which the same hands are played 

more than once by different partners. 
Echo. — Playing a higher card before a lower; either to show 

the number held in the suit, or to indicate protection or 

strength in that suit. 
Eldest hand. — The leader to the first trick. 
Eleven Rule. — Deducting the spots on the card led from 

eleven, the remainder being the number in that suit 

which are higher than the card led, and which are not 

in the leader's hand. 



GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS 111 

Established suits. — A suit in which every card is good for 
a trick, no matter who leads it. 

Equal cards. — Cards that are equally good for any purpose, 
• such as the queen and jack of a suit. 

Exposed cards. — Cards that must be left on the table face up, 
and Uable to be called, on account of some irregularity. 

Exit cards. — Cards with which one can get rid of the lead, or 
throw it into a certain hand. 

False cards. — Cards so played as to deceive the other players 

as to the true holding in the suit. 
Finesse. — ^Any attem-pt to win a trick with a card which 

is not the best held in that suit, nor in sequence with it. 
Follow suit. — To play a card of the suit led. 
Forced bids. — Bids necessary to overcall previous bids. 
Forcing. — Obliging a player to trump a suit when he does not 

wish to do so; as distinguished from ruffing. 
Forcing discards. — Obhging an opponent to discard from 

suits other than the one led. 
Fourchette. — The combination in one hand of the cards im- 
mediately above and below the card led. 
Fourth-best. — ^The fourth card from the top of any suit, 

counting those held in the hand. 
Free bids.— Bids that do not overcall previous bids. 
Going back. — Redoubhng. 
Going oyer.— Obsolete for doubling. 
Going up. — ^The same as covering a card led. 
Grand coup. — Trumping the partner's winning card, or 

throwing away a small trump when there is aheady a 

higher trump on the trick. 
Grand slam.— One side winning thirteen tricks. 



112 AUCTION MADE EASY 

Guarded cards. — ^High cards, but not the best of the suit, 

which have enough small cards with them not to be 

easily caught. Usually cards that are good for tricks 

if led up to. 
Hand. — ^The thirteen cards held by one player, sometimes 

used to denote the entire fifty-two cards as dealt and 

played. 
Holding up. — ^Keeping the command of a suit until one of 

the opponents is out of it. 
Honors. — The A K Q J 10 of a trump suit, or the four aces 

at no-trump. 
Imperfect fourchette. — ^The combination in one hand of the 

card above and the next but one below the one led, 

such as Q 9 over a J led. 
Imperfect pack. — ^A pack in which any card is missing, torn, 

duplicated, or so marked that it can be recognized by 

the back. 
Indifferent cards. — ^Equals, so that it does not matter much 

which one is played. 
Irregular leads. — Leads which are not from any of the regular 

high-card combinations and are not fourth-best. 
Kicking it. — Colloquial for doubling. 
Leading. — Playing the first card to any trick. 
Leading away from. — Playing a small card from any combina- 
tion of higher cards that would be much better if led 

up to, such as leading away from an ace-queen suit. 
Leading through. — Putting the second player on any trick 

at a disadvantage, such as leading queen and jack 

through a king in the dummy, when the third hand 

holds the ace. 
Leading up to. — Leading to a suit in the fourth hand, such 

as leading through the declarer up to the dummy. 



GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS 113 

Little slam. — The same partners winning twelve out of the 
thirteen tricks. 

Long suits. — ^Any suit of four or more cards. The longest 
suit in the player's hand. 

Long trump. — The last trump in play. 

Losing cards. — Cards that cannot possibly win a trick, and 
which will be won by the adversaries if they are not got 
rid of early. 

Losing trumps. — Trumps that can be picked up by the oppo- 
nents if they get the lead. 
Love-all. — ^Nothing scored on either side. 
Lillies. — ^An obsolete name for the spade suit. 
Make. — The declaration is sometimes erroneously called 

the make. 
Master card. — The best left in play of any suit that has 

already been led. 
Misdeal. — ^Any failure in the proper distribution of the 

cards. 
Missing suits. — Suits which a player has none of. 
Odd trick. — ^The seventh won by the declarer. 
Opening lead. — The selection of suit and card for the first 

lead. 
Original hid. — ^A bid made on the first round. 
Passing. — Refusing to bid or overcall. 
Passing tricks. — Letting the opponents win tricks with 

cards which are not the best of the suit; or, refusing to 

trump when able to do so. 
Plain suits. — Those which are not trumps. 
Quick tricks. — Cards that will win the first or second round 

of a suit. 



114 AUCTION MADE EASY 

Redoubling. — Doubling again, after the opponents have 
doubled. 

Re-entry cards. — Cards that will bring another suit into play. 

Renounce. — Failure to follow suit, having none. 

Revoke. — ^Failure to follow suit when able to do so, or neglect 

to comply with a performable penalty when demanded. 
Rubber. — ^The first two games (out of three) won by the 

same partners. 
Ruffing. — ^Trumping plain suits. Also leading a suit for the 

deUberate purpose of letting the partner trump it. 
Second hand. — The second bidder, on the dealer's left; and 

in the play, the second player on any card led. 
Secondary Bid. — One not made at the first opportunity. 
See-saw. — The same as a cross-ruff, q. v. k^ 

Sequence. — ^Three or more cards next in value to one another, 

such as Q J 10. 
Shift. — Bidding one suit and then changing to another. 
Short suits. — Suits of less than four cards. 
Shut-out bids. — ^Any bid of such magnitude that it is intended 

to preclude the opponents from overcalling it. 
Shouting. — Overbidding a suit, so as to indicate that it is 

unusually strong. 
Singleton. — Only one card of a suit dealt to any player. 
Slams. — ^Winning all thirteen tricks is a grand slam; winning 

twelve is a little slam. 
Sneak. — A singleton which is led to get a ruff on the second 

round of the suit. 
Split. — ^A suit equally divided between the opponents. 
Still pack. — ^The pack that is not in play. 
Stings. — ^Points scored on contracts that fail. 



GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS 115 

Solid suit, — One that will win every trick, no matter by whom 

led. One that needs no establishing. 
Stopper. — ^Any card that will stop the run of an adverse suit 

soon or later. 
Strong suits. — Suits in which it is possible to win a number 

of tricks. 
Supporting cards. — Cards that are led for the purpose of 

helping the partner, but which are unlikely to win tricks 

in the hand of the leader. 
Tenace. — ^The combination in one hand of the best and 

third-best of a suit, such as ace queen. The minor 

tenace is king and jack. 
Third hand. — ^The third bidder, counting the dealer as the 

first; also, the third player to any trick. 
Throwing the lead. — Putting an opponent in, so as to make him 

lead to his disadvantage, usually by giving him a trick 

that he must win in any case. 
Tops. — ^The winning cards at the head of a suit, the com- 
binations of high cards essential to a sound free bid. 
Touching honors. — Two honors that are next to each other 

in value, such as ace and king. 
Unblocking. — Getting out of the way of a suit that is longer 

in another hand. 
Underplay. — Leading or playing any card which is not 

the best of the suit in hand, when the higher card would 

be the natural lead. 
Weak suits. — Suits that are not worth much at no-trumps. 
Yarborough. — ^A hand that contains no cards as high as a 

ten. The odds against it are 1826 to 1. 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

Revised to March, 1920 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION * 

Revised to Maech, 1920 

Reprinted by permission of The Whist Club of New Yorlc 

The Rubber 

1. A rubber continues until one side wins it, by winning two 
games. When the first two games decide the rubber, a third is 
not played. 

Scoring 

2. Each side has a trick score and a score for all other counts, 
generally known as the honor score. In the trick score the only 
entries made are points for tricks won (see Law 3), which count 
both toward the game and in the total of the rubber. 

All other points, including those scored for honors, penalties, 
slam, httle slam, and undertricks, are recorded in the honor 
score, which counts only in the total of the rubber. 

3. Wlien the declarer wins the niunber of tricks bid or more, 
each above six ^ counts on the trick score: 6 points when clubs 
are trumps, 7 when diamonds are trumps, 8 when hearts are 
trumps, 9 when spades are trumps and 10 when the declaration is 
no-trump. 

4. A game consists of 30 points made by trieka alone. Erery 
deal is played out, whether or not during it the game be con- 
duded, and any points made (even if in excess of 30) are counted. 

5. The ace, king, queen, knave, and ten of the trump suit 
are the honors; when no-trump is declared, the aces are the 
honors. 

* Copyright by the Whist Club of New York. 
» Such tricks are generally called " odd tricks." 

119 



120 AUCTION MADE EASY 

6. Honors are credited to the original holders; they are valued 
as follows: 







WHEN A TRUMP IS 


DECLARED 


3» 


honors held between partners equal value of 2 tricks. | 


4 


« 


tC U 11 


4 u 


5 


" 


If 11 (I 


5 "■ 


4 


a 


in 1 hand " 

■ 5th in ' 


8 " 


4 


" 


" 1 " \ partner's I 
.. hand . 


9 " 


5 


" 


" 1 " 


" 10 " 






WHEN NO-TRUMP JS 


DECLARED 






3 aces held between partners count 30 | 






4 " " 


40 






4 " "in one hand 


" 100 



7. Slam is made when partners take 13 tricks. ^ It counts 
100 points in the honor score. 

8. Little slam is made when partners take 12 tricks.^ It 
counts 50 points in the honor score. 

9. The value of honors, slam, or little slam is not affected 
by doubUng or redoubling. 

10. At the end of a rubber, the winners score 250 points addi- 
tional. 

The trick, honor and bonus scores of each side are then added 
and the size of the rubber is the difference between the respective 
totals. The losers of the rubber are entitled to the difference 
when they have the larger total. 

1 Frequently called "simple honors." 

2 Law 84 prohibits a revoking side from scoring slam, and provides that 
tricks received by the declarer as penalty for a revoke shall not entitle him 
to a slam not otherwise obtained. 

3 Law 84 prohibits a revoking side from scoring little slam, and provides 
that tricks received by the declarer as penalty for a revoke shall not entitle 
him to a little slam not otherwise obtained. When a declarer bids 7 and 
takes 12 tricks, he counts 50 for little slam, although his declaration fails. 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 121 

11. When a rubber is started with the agreement that the play 
shall terminate (i.e., no new deal shall commence) at a specified 
time, and the rubber is imfinished at that hour, the score is made 
up as it stands, 125 being added to the score of the winners of a 
game. A deal, if started, must be played out. 

11a, If a rubber be started without any agreement as to its 
termination and before its conclusion one player leaves without 
appointing an acceptable substitute (see Law 26), his adversaries 
have the right to elect whether the score be canceled or counted 
as if covered by Law 11. 

12. A proved error in the honor score may be corrected at any 
time before the score of the rubber has been made up and agreed 
upon. 

13. A proved error in the trick score may be corrected at any 
time before a declaration has been made in the following game, or, 
if it occur in the final game of the rubber, before the score has 
been made up and agreed upon. 

Cutting 

14. In cutting, the ace is the lowest, the king the highest card; 
between cards of otherwise equal value the spade is the lowest, 
the heart next, the diamond next, and the club the highest. 

15. Every player must cut from the same pack. 

16. Shovild a player expose more than one card, the highest is 
his cut, except as provided for in Law 19. 

Forming Tables 

17. Those first in the room have the prior right to play. Can- 
didates of equal standing decide their order by cutting; those 
who cut lowest play first. 

18. Six players constitute a complete table, 

19. After the table has been formed, the players cut to decide 
upon partners, the two lower play against the two higher. In 
cutting for partners, should a player expose more than one card 
he must cut again. The lowest is the dealer, who has choice of 
cards and seats, and having made his selection, must abide by it.^ 

1 He may consult his partner before making his decision. 



122 AUCTION MADE EASY 

20. The right to succeed players as they retire is acquired by 
announcing the desire to do so, and such announcements, in 
the order made, entitle candidates to places as vacancies occur. 

CuTTiNQ Out 

21. If, at the end of a rubber, admission be claimed by one or 
two candidates, the player or players who have played the great- 
est number of consecutive rubbers withdraw; when more players 
than there are candidates have played the same number, the 
outgoers are decided by cutting; the highest are out.^ 

Right op Entry 

22. At the beginning of a rubber, a candidate is not entitled 
to enter a table unless he declare his intention before any player 
cut, either for partners, for new rubber or for cutting out. 

23. In the formation of new tables, candidates who have not 
played at an existing table have the prior right of entry. Others 
determine their right to admission by cutting. 

24. When one or more players belonging to an existing table 
aid in making up a new one, which cannot be formed without him 
or them, he or they shall be the last to cut out. 

25. A player belonging to one table who enters another, or 
announces a desire to do so, forfeits his rights at his original 
table, unless the new table cannot be formed without him, in 
which case he may retain his position at, his original table by 
announcing his intention to return as soon as his place at the new 
table can be filled. 

26. Should a player leave a table during the progress of a 
rubber, he may, with the consent of the three others, appoint 
a substitute to play during his absence; but such appointment 
becomes void upon the conclusion of the rubber, and does not in 
any way affect the rights of the substitute. 

27. If a player break up a table, the others have a prior 
right of entry elsewhere. 

1 See Law 14 as to value of cards in cutting. 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 123 

Shuffling 

28. The pack must not be shuffled below the table nor so the 
face of any card be seen. 

29. The dealer's partner must collect and shuffle the cards 
from the preceding deal. He must then place them face down- 
ward to the left of the next dealer, where they must remain un- 
touched until the end of the current deal. 

30. At the conclusion of the deal the next dealer has the right 
to shuffle his pack, but should a card or cards be seen during his 
shuffling, or while the pack is being cut, he must reshuffle.^ 

The Deal 

31. Players deal in turn; the order of dealing is to the left. 

32. Immediately before the deal, the player on the dealer's 
right cuts, so that each packet contains at least four cards. 
When, in or after cutting, and prior to the beginning of the 
deal, a card is exposed, or when any doubt exist as to the place of 
the cut, the dealer must reshuffle and the same player must cut 
again. 

33. After the pack has been properly cut, it should not be 
reshuffled or recut except as provided in Law 32, 

34. Should the dealer shuffle after the cut, his adversaries may 
subsequently shuffle and the pack must be cut again. 

35. The 52 cards must be dealt face downward. The deal 
is completed when the last card is dealt. 

36. In the event of a misdeal, the same pack must be dealt 
again by the same player. 

A New Deal 

37. There must be a new deal: 

(o) If the cards be not dealt, beginning at the dealer's left 
into four packets one at a time and in regular rotation. 

(6) If, during a deal or during the play, the pack be proved 
incorrect. 2 

» The dealer has the right to shuffle last, except in the case covered by 
Law 34. 

• A correct pack oontaina 52 cards divided into four suits of 13 cards each. 
Each suit ooataioing one card of each denomination. 



124 AUCTION MADE EASY 

(c) If, during a deal, any card be faced in the pack or ex- 

posed, on, above, or below the table. 

(d) If more than 13 cards be dealt to any player.* 

(e) If the last card does not come in its regular order to 

the dealer. 

(J) If the dealer omit having the pack cut, deal out of 
turn, or with the adversaries' cards, and either adver- 
sary call attention to the fact before the end of the 
deal and before looking at any of his cards. 

{g) If, before, during, or at the conclusion of the play one 
player hold more than the proper number of cards 
and another less. 

38. Should a correction of any offense mentioned in 37/ not be 
made in time, or should an adversary who has looked at any of 
his cards be the first to call attention to the error, the deal stands, 
and the game proceeds as if the deal had been correct, the player 
to the left dealing next. When the deal has been with the wrong 
cards, the next dealer, when it is his ttun to deal, may take which- 
ever pack he prefers. 

39. If, prior to the cut for the following deal, a pack be proved 
incorrect, the deal is void, but all prior scores stand. 

The pack is not incorrect when a missing card or cards are 
found in the other pack, among the quitted tricks, below the 
table, or in any other place which makes it possible that such 
card or cards were part of the pack during the deal. 

40. Should three players have their proper nmnber of cards, 
the fourth, less, the missing card or cards, if found, belong to him, 
and he, unless dummy, is answerable for any established revoke or 
revokes he may have made just as if the missing card or cards 
had been continuously in his hand. When a card is missing, any 
player may search the other pack, the quitted tricks, or else- 
where for it.2 

41. A player may not cut, shuffle, or deal for his partner if 
either adversary object. 

» This error, whenever discovered, renders a new deal necessary. 
• The fact that a deal is concluded without any claim of irregularity shall be 
deemed as conclusive that such card was part of the pack during the deal. 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 125 

41o. A player may not lift from the table and look at any of 
his cards until the end of the deal. The penalty for the violation 
of this law is 25 points in the adverse honor score for each card so 
examined. 

The Declaeation 

42. The dealer, having examined his hand, must either pass or 
declare to win at least one odd trick, ^ either with a specified suit 
as trump, or at no-trump. 

43. The dealer having declared or passed, each player in turn, 
beginning on the dealer's left, must pass, make a higher declara- 
tion, double the last declaration made by an opponent, or re- 
double an opponent's double, subject to the provisions of Law 56. 

44. When all four players pass their first opportunity to declare 
the deal passes to the next player. 

45. The order in value of declarations from the lowest up is 
clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades, no-trump. 

To overbid a declaration, a player must bid, either 

(a) An equal number of tricks of a more valuable declara- 
tion, or 
(6) A greater number of tricks. 
E, g., 3 spades over 3 diamonds; 5 clubs over 4 hearts; 4 
diamonds over 3 no-trump. 

46. A player in his turn may overbid the previous adverse 
declaration any number of times, and may also overbid his 
partner, but he cannot overbid his own declaration which has 
been passed by the three others.^ 

47. The player who makes the final declaration * must play 
the combined hands, his partner becoming dummy, imless the 
suit or no-trump finally declared was bid by the partner before it 
was called by the final declarer, in which case the partner, no 
matter what bids have intervened, must play the combined hands. 

48. When the player of the two hands (hereinafter termed 

1 One trick more than sis. 

8 Seven is the maximum declaration, and if it be made, the only bid there- 
after permitted (except a double) is seven of a higher valued declaration. 
^ 8 A declaration becomes final when it has been passed by three playera. 



126 AUCTION MADE EASY 

("the declarer") wins at least as many tricks as he declared, 
he scores the full value of the tricks won (see Law 3).^ 

48a. When the declarer fails to win as many tricks as he 
declares, neither he nor his adversaries score anjrthing toward 
the game, but his adversaries score in their honor colunm 50 
points for each undertrick (i.e., each trick short of the number 
declared). If the declaration be doubled, the adversaries score 
100 points; if redoubled, 200 points for each undertrick. 

49. If a player make a declaration (other than a double ' 
or pass 3) out of turn either adversary may cancel or accept it. 

When a declaration out of turn is anceled the player whose 
turn it was to declare bids, and the partner of the offending player 
may not thereafter participate in the declaration. 

When a declaration out of turn is accepted, it becomes the turn 
of the player to the left of the offender to declare, and the partner 
of the offending player retains the right to participate in the 
declaration. 

After a declaration out of turn, should the adversary to the 
left of the offender either pass, double, or declare before the 
improper bid is accepted or canceled, such act accepts the bid 
and thereby makes it the turn of said adversary. 

Should the adversary to the right of a player who has bid 
out of turn be the proper declarer, and should he pass, double or 
declare before the improper bid be accepted or canceled, such 
act is a cancellation of the improper declaration. 

When a bid out of turn is canceled, it having been the turn 
of the partner of the offending player to declare, such turn passes 
to the adversary on the left of said partner. 

49a. If a player double, or redouble when it is his partner's 
turn to declare, either adversary may 

(o) Accept the double or redouble as if it had been made in 

turn. 
(&) Demand a new deal. 

(c) Call the bid that was doubled or redoubled final, and 
elect whether the double or redouble etand. 

» For amount eoored by declarer, if doubled, see Laws 55 and 58. 
^ ___. ^ See Law 49a. , » See Law 496. 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 127 

There is no penalty for a double or redouble out of turn when 
the partner of the offender has already passed the declara- 
tion.^ 

When a declaration is made final neither a redouble nor any 
other declaration naay be made. 

496. A pass out of tm-n cannot be penalized and does not 
affect the order of bidding. The bidding is continued by the 
player whose turn it was when the pass out of turn was made. 

The player who has passed out of turn may re-enter the bidding 
only in case the declaration he has passed be overbid or doubled. 

Should the adversary to the left of a player who passes out of 
turn be misled thereby and either pass or declare, such act accepts 
the pass as being in turn. 

50. If a player make an insuflBcient declaration, either adver- 
sary may demand that it be made suflBcient in the declaration 
named, in which case the partner of the declarer may not further 
declare imless an adversary subsequently bid or double. 

50a. If a player who has been debarred from bidding under 
Laws 49, 50, 52 or 66, during the period of such prohibition, 
make any declaration (other than passing), either adversary 
may decide whether such declaration stand, and neither the 
offending player nor his partner may further participate in the 
bidding even if the adversaries double or declare. 

506. A penalty for a declaration out of turn (see Law 49), 
and insufficient declaration (see Law 50), or a bid when prohibited 
(see Law 50a) may not be enforced if either adversary pass, 
double, or declare before the penalty be demanded.* 

50c. Laws which give to either adversary the right to enforce a 
penalty, do not permit consultation. Either adversary may 
call attention to the offense and select or forego a penalty, or 
may pass the privilege to his partner. If consultation take 
place the right to demand a penalty is forfeited.' The first 

» See Law 506. 

* When the penalty for an insuflacient declaration is not demanded, th» 
bid over which it was made may be repeated unless some higher^bid has inter- 
vened. 

' The question, " Partner, will you select the penalty, or shall I? " is a form 
of consultation and is not permitted, j j .^._^ , 



128 . AUCTION MADE EASY 

decision made by either adversary is final and cannot be 
altered. 1 

51. At any time dm-ing the declaration, a question asked by a 
player concerning any previous bid must be answered, but, after 
the final declaration has been accepted, if an adversary of the 
declarer inform his partner regarding any previous declaration, 
the declarer may call a lead from the adversary whose next turn 
it is to lead. If the dummy give such information to the declarer, 
either adversary of the declarer may call a lead when it is the 
next turn of the declarer to lead from either hand. A player, 
however, at any time may ask what declaration is being played 
and the question must be answered. 

52. If before or during the declaration a player give any infor- 
mation concerning his hand other than that conveyed by a 
legitimate declaration, his partner may not thereafter participate 
in the bidding. 

53. A double once made may not be altered. 

No declaration may be altered after the next player acts.^ 
Before action by the next player a no-trump or suit declaration 
may be changed: 

(o) To correct the amount of an insufficient bid. 
(6) To correct the denomination but not the size of a bid, 
in which, due to a lapsus Ungues, a suit or no-trump 
has been called which the declarer did not intend to 
name. 
No other alteration may be made. 

54. After the final declaration has been accepted, the play 
begins; the player on the left of the declarer leads. 

Doubling and Redoubling 

f 55. Doubling and redoubling doubles and quadruples the value 
of each trick over 6, but it does not alter the value of a declara- 
tion: e.g., a declaration of "three clubs" is higher than "two 
spades" doubled or redoubled. 

1 When a player directs his partner to select the penalty and the partner 
fails to do so or attempts to refer the privilege back, the right is forfeited. 
^ Such an alteration may be penalized as a bid out of turn. (See Law 49.) 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 129 

66. Any declaration may be doubled and redoubled once, but 
not more; a player may not double his partner's declaration, nor 
redouble his partner's double, but he may redouble a declaration 
of his partner which has been doubled by an adversary. 

The penalty for redoubling more than once is 100 points in the 
adverse honor score or a new deal; for doubliug a partner's 
declaration, or redoubling a partner's double it is 50 points in 
the adverse honor score. Either adversary may demand any ' 
penalty enforceable under this law. 

67. Doubling or redoubltug reopens the bidding. When a 
declaration has been doubled or redoubled, any one of the three 
succeeding players, including the player whose declaration has 
been doubled may, in his proper turn, make a fm-ther declaration 
of higher value. 

58. When a player whose declaration has been doubled wins 
the declared number of tricks, he scores a bonus of 50 points in his 
honor score, and a further 50 points for each additional trick. 
When he or his partner has redoubled, he scores 100 points for 
making the contract and an additional 100 for each extra trick. 

Dummy ^ 

69. As soon as the player on the left of the declarer leads, the 
declarer's partner places his cards face upward on the table, and 
the declarer plays the cards from that hand. 

60. The partner of the declarer has aU the rights of a player 
(including the right to call attention to a lead from the wrong 
hand), until his cards are placed face upward on the table.* 
He then becomes the dummy, and takes no part whatever in the 
play except that he has the right: 

(a) To call the declarer's attention to the fact that too 

many or too few cards have been played to a trick. 
(6) To correct an improper claim of either adversary. 
(c) To call attention to a trick erroneously taken by either 
side. 

* For additional laws affecting dummy, see 51 and 93. 
> The penalty is determined by the declarer (see Law 67). 



130 AUCTION MADE EASY 

(d) To participate in the discussion of any disputed question 

of fact after it has arisen between the declarer and 
either adversary. 

(e) To correct an erroneous score. 

(/) To consult with and advise the declarer as to which 

penalty to exact for a revoke. 
(g) To ask the declarer whether he have any of a suit he has 

renounced. 
The dummy, if he have not intentionally looked at any card 
in the hand of a player, has also the following additional rights: 
(h) To call the attention of the declarer to an established 

adverse revoke, 
(i) To call the attention of the declarer to a card exposed 

by an adversary or to an adverse lead out of turn. 
(j) To call the attention of the declarer to any right which 

he may have imder any law. 
(fc) To direct the declarer who would concede a trick or 

tricks to the adversaries to play out the hand.^ 

61. Should the dummy call attention to any other incident in 
the play in consequence of which any penalty might have been 
exacted, the declarer may not exact such penalty. Should the 
dummy avail himself of rights (A), (i), (J) or (k), after inten- 
tionally looking at a card in the hand of a player, the declarer 
may not benefit thereby. 

62. If the dummy, by touching a card or otherwise, suggest the 
play of one of his cards, either adversary may require the declarer 
to play or not to play such card. 

62a. If the dummy call to the attention of the declarer that 
he is about to lead from the wrong hand, either adversary may 
require that the lead be made from that hand. 

63. Dxmmiy is not subject to the revoke penalty; if he revoke 
and the error be not discovered until the trick be turned and 
quitted, whether by the rightful winners or not, the revoke may 
not be corrected. 

64. A card from the declarer's hand is not played until actually 
quitted, but should he name or touch a card in the dummy, such 



THE LAWS OP AUCTION 131 

card is played unless he say, "I arrange," or words to that effect. 
If he simultaneously touch two or more such cards, he may elect 
which to play. 

Exposed Cabds 

65. The following are exposed cards: 

(1) Two or more cards played simultaneously. 

(2) Card dropped face upward on the table even though 

snatched up so quickly that it cannot be named. 

(3) Card so held by a player that his partner sees any por- 

tion of its face. 

(4) Card mentioned by either adversary as being held in his 

or his partner's hand. 
A card dropped on the floor or elsewhere below the table, and 
not seen by the partner, ^ or so held that it is seen by an adversary 
but not by the partner, is not an exposed card. 

Cards Exposed befgee Plat 

66. After the deal and before the declaration has been finally 
determined, if any player lead or expose a card, his partner may 
not thereafter bid or double during that declaration, ^ and the 
card, if it belong' to an adversary of the eventual declarer, be- 
comes an exposed card.' When the partner of the offending 
player is the original leader, the declarer, may also prohibit the 
initial lead of the suit of the exposed card. 

67. After the final declaration has been accepted and before 
the lead, if the partner of the proper leader expose or lead a card, 
the declarer may treat it as exposed or may call a suit from the 
proper leader. A card exposed by the leader, after the final 
declaration and before the lead, is subject to call.* 

Cards Exposed during Plat 

68. An exposed card must be left face upward on the table. 
Until it is played the declarer has the right to call it at any time 

when it is the turn of its owner to play or lead, but the owner 
may play or lead it whenever he has the opportunity. 

> If seen by the partner it is an exposed oard. 
i « See Law 50a. a See Law 68. • See Law 68. 



132 AUCTION MADE EASY 

69. A player cannot be compelled to play a card which would 
oblige him to revoke. 

70. Should an exposed card be called, and the player be imable 
to obey the call because he is obhged to follow suit, the card is 
still exposed, and the call may be repeated any number of times 
imtil the card is played. 

71. Two or more cards played simultaneously by either of the 
declarer's adversaries give the declarer the right to call any one 
of such cards to the current trick and to treat the other card or 
cards as exposed. 

72. Should an adversary of the declarer expose his last card 
before his partner play to the 12th trick, the two cards in his 
partner's hand become exposed, must be laid face upward on the 
table, and are subject to call. 

73. If, without waiting for his partner to play, either of the 
declarer's adversaries play or lead a winning card, as against the 
declarer and dummy and continue (without waiting for his 
partner to play) to lead several such cards, the declarer may 
demand that the partner of the player in fault win, if he can, the 
first or any other of these tricks. The other cards thus improp- 
erly played are exposed. 

74. If either or both of the declarer's adversaries throw his 
or their cards face upward on the table, such cards are exposed 
and liable to be called; but if either adversary retain his hand, he 
cannot be forced to abandon it. Cards exposed by the declarer 
are not liable to be called. If the declarer say "I have the rest," 
or any words indicating the remaining tricks or any number 
thereof are his, he may be required to place his cards face upward 
on the table. He is not then allowed to call any cards his adver- 
saries may have exposed, nor to take any finesse not previously 
proven a winner imless he announce it when making his claim. 

75. If a player who has rendered himself liable to have the high- 
est or lowest of a suit called (Laws 80, 86 and 92) fail to play as 
directed, or if, when called on to lead one suit, he lead another, 
having in his hand one or more cards of the suit demanded 
(Laws 66, 76 and 93), or if, when called upon to win or lose a 
trick, he fail to do so when he can (Laws 73, 80 and 92), or if, 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 133 

when called upon not to play a suit, he fail to play as directed 
(Laws 66 and 67), he is liable to the penalty for revoke (Law 84) 
unless such play be corrected before the trick be turned and 
quitted. 

Leads Out op Turn 

76. If an adversary of the declarer lead out of turn, the 
declarer may treat the card so led as exposed or may call a suit 
as soon as it is the turn of either adversary to lead. Should they 
lead simultaneously, the lead from the proper hand stands, and 
the other card is exposed. 

77. If the declarer lead out of turn, either from his own hand 
or dummy, he incurs no penalty, but he may not rectify the error 
unless directed to do so by an adversary.^ If the second hand 
play, the lead is accepted. 

78. If an adversary of the declarer lead out of turn, and the 
declarer follow either from his own hand or dummy, the lead is 
accepted. If the declarer before playing refuse to accept the 
lead, the leader may be penalized as provided in Law 76. 

79. If a player called on to lead a suit have none of it, the 
penalty is paid. ^ 

Caeds Plated in Error 

80. Should the foiU"th hand, not being dummy or declarer, 
play before the second, the latter may be required to play his 
highest or lowest card of the suit led, or to win or lose the trick. 
In such case, if the second hand be void of the suit led, the 
declarer in lieu of any other penalty may call upon the second 
hand to play the highest card of any designated suit. If he 
name a suit of which the second hand is void, the penalty is 
paid.2 

81. When any one, except dummy, omits playing to a trick, 
and such error is not corrected until he has played to the next, 
the declarer or either of his adversaries, as the case may be, may 

1 The rule in Law 50c, as to consultations, governs the right of adversaries 
to consult as to whether such direction be given. 

2 Should the declarer play third hand before the second hand, the fourth 
hand may, without penalty, play before his partner. 



134 AUCTION MADE EASY 

claim a new deal; should either decide that the deal stand, the 
surplus card (at the end of the hand) is considered played to the 
imperfect trick, but does not constitute a revoke therein.^ 

82. When any one, except dummy, plays two or more cards 
to the same trick and the mistake is not corrected he is answer- 
able for any consequent revokes he may make. When the error 
is detected during the play the tricks may be counted face down- 
ward, to see if any contain more than four cards; should this be 
the case, the trick which contains a surplus card or cards may be 
examined and such card or cards restored to the original holder.* 

The Revoke ' 

83. A revoke occurs when a player, other than dummy, hold- 
ing one or more cards of the suit led, plays a card of a different 
suit. It becomes an established revoke when the trick in which 
it occurs is turned and quitted by the rightful winner * (i.e., the 
hand removed from the trick after it has been turned face down- 
ward on the table), or when either the revoking player or his 
partner, whether in turn or otherwise, leads or plays t© the fol- 
lowing trick. 

84. The penalty for each established revoke is: 

(a) When the declarer revokes, he cannot score for tricks 
and his adversaries add 100 points to their score in 
the honor column for each revoke, in addition to any 
penalty to which they may be entitled for his failure 
to make good his declaration. 

(&) When either of the adversaries revokes, the declarer for 
the first revoke may either score 100 points in hia 
honor column or take three tricks from his opponents 
and add them to his own.* Such tricks may assist the 

t As to the right of adversaries to consult, see Law 50c. 

» Either adversary may decide which card shall be considered played to 
the trick which contains more than four cards, but such decision shall not 
affect the winning or losing of the trick. 

» See Law 76. 

* Except aa provided in Law 85. 

' The dammy may advise the declarer which penalty to exact. 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 135 

declarer to make good his declaration,^ but shall not 
entitle him to any further bonus in the honor column, 
by reason of the declaration having been doubled or 
redoubled, nor to a slam or little slam not otherwise 
obtained.2 (See Law 7, 8 and 58.) For each subse- 
quent revoke he adds 100 points to his honor score. 
The value of their honors is the only score that can be made by 
a revoking side. 

85. A player may ask his partner if he have a card of the suit 
which he has renoimced; should the question be asked before 
the trick be turned and quitted, subsequent turning and quitting 
does not establish a revoke, and the error may be corrected unless 
the question be answered in the negative, or imless the revoking 
player or his partner have led or played to the foUoi^'ing trick. 

85a. Should the dummy leave the table during the play, he 
may ask his adversaries to protect him from revokes during 
his absence; such protection is generally called "the courtesies 
of the table" or "the courtesies due an absentee." 

If he make such request, the penalty for a revoke made by 
the declarer during the dummy's absence, may not be enforced, 
unless in due season an adversary have asked the declarer 
whether he have a card of the suit he has renounced. 

86. If a player correct his mistake in time to save a revoke, 
any player or players who have followed him may withdraw hia 
or their cards and substitute others, and the cards so withdrawn 
are not exposed. If the player in fault be one of the declarer's 
adversaries, the card played in error is exposed, and the declarer 
may call it whenever he pleases, or he may require the offender 
to play his highest or lowest card of the suit to the trick. 

86o. If the player in fault be the declarer, either adversary 
may require him to play the highest or lowest card of the suit in 
which he has renounced, provided both his adversaries have 
played to the ctirrent trick; but this penalty may not be exacted 

»They may enable him to win a game, and if that game conclude the 
rubber, give him the 250 points bonus. 

» The value of the 3 tricks, doubled or redoubled, as the case may be, ia 
counted in the trick score. 



136 AUCTION MADE EASY 

from the declarer when he is fourth in hand, nor can it be en- 
forced at all from the dummy. 

87. At the end of the play the claimants of a revoke may 
search all the tricks. If the cards have been mixed, the claim 
may be urged and proved if possible; but no proof is necessary 
and the claim is established if, after it is made, the accused 
player or his partner mix the cards before they have been suf- 
ficiently examined by the adversaries. 

88. A claim that a revoke has been made cannot be allowed 
after the cards have been cut for the following deal, or when the 
deal concludes the rubber, after the score has been made up and 
agreed upon or after the cards have been cut for any purpose 
connected with the next rubber. 

89. Should both sides revoke, the only score permitted is for 
honors. In such case, if one side revoke more than once, the 
penalty of 100 points for each extra revoke is scored by the other 



, General Laws 

90. A trick turned and quitted may not be looked at (except 
under Law 82) until the end of the play. The penalty for the 
violation of this law is 25 points in the adverse honor score. 

91. Any player during the play of a trick or after the four 
cards are played, and before the trick is turned and quitted, 
may demand that the cards be placed before their respective 
players. 

92. When an adversary of the declarer, before his partner 
plays, calls attention to the trick, either by saying it is his, or, 
without being requested to do so, by naming his card or drawing 
it toward him, the declarer may require such partner to play his 
highest or lowest card of the suit led, or to win or lose the 
trick. 

93. An adversary of the declarer may call his partner's atten- 
tion to the fact that he is about to play or lead out of turn; 
but if, during the play, he make any unauthorized reference to 
any incident of the play, the declarer may call a suit from the 
adversary whose next turn it is to lead. If the dummy similarly 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 137 

ofifend, either adversary may call a lead when it is the next turn 
of the declarer to lead from either hand. 

94. In all cases where a penalty has been incurred, the offender 
is bo\ind to give reasonable time for the decision of his adversaries. 

95. If the declarer concede one or more tricks and the con- 
cession be accepted, such trick or tricks belong to the adver- 
saries even if it would have been impossible for the declarer 
to lose such trick or tricks had the hand been played out.^ 

If an adversary of the declarer concede a trick or tricks, 
such concession is binding if agreed to at the time by the partner 
of the conceding player. Silence shall be regarded as consent. 

New Cards 

96. Unless a pack be imperfect, no player has the right to 
call for one new pack. When fresh cards are demanded, two' 
packs must be furnished. When they are produced during a 
rubber, the adversaries of the player demanding them have the 
choice of the new cards. If it be the beginning of a new rubber, 
the dealer, whether he or one of his adversaries call for the new 
cards, has the choice. New cards cannot be substituted after 
the pack has been cut for a new deal. 

97. A card or cards torn or marked must be replaced by agree- 
ment or new cards furnished. 

Bystanders 

98. While a bystander, by agreement among the players, may, 
decide any question, he should not say anything unless appealed 
to; and if he make any remark which calls attention to an over-! 
sight affecting the score, or to the exaction of a penalty, he is 
liable to be called upon by the players to pay the stakes (not 
extras) lost. 

Etiquette op Auction 

In the game of Auction slight intimations convey much infor-, 
mation. The laws fix penalties for an offense. To offend 

* Unless before the acceptance of the concession, the dummy, who has not 
looked at any cards in the hand of an adversary, demand that the deal be 
played out. (See Law 60k,) 



138 AUCTION MADE EASY 

against etiquette is more serious than to offend against a law; 
for in the latter case the offender is subject to the prescribed 
penalties; in the former his adversaries are without redress. 

1. Declarations should be made in a simple manner, thus: 
"one heart," "one no-trump," "pass," "double"; they should 
be made orally and not by gesture. 

2. Aside from his legitimate declaration, a player should 
not indicate by word or gesture the nature of his hand, or his 
approval or disapproval of a play, bid, or double. 

3. If a player demand that the cards be placed, he should 
do so for his own information and not to call his partner's atten- 
tion to any card or play. 

4. An opponent of the declarer should not lead until the pre- 
ceding trick has been turned and quitted, nor, after having led 
a winning card, should he draw another from his hand before his 
partner has played to the current trick, 

5. A card should not be played with such emphasis as to draw 
attention to it, nor should a player detach one card from his hand 
and subsequently play another. 

6. A player should not purposely incur a penalty because he 
is willing to pay it, nor should he make a second revoke to conceal 
d%t. 

7. Conversation during the play should be avoided, as it may 
annoy players at the table or at other tables in the room. 

8. The dummy should not leave his seat to watch his partner 
play. He should not call attention to the score nor to any card 
or cards that he or the other players hold. 

9. If a player say, "I have the rest," or any words indicating 
that the remaining tricks, or any number thereof, are his, and 
one or both of the other players expose his or their cards, or 
request him to play out the hand, he should not allow any infor- 
mation so obtained to influence his play. 

10. A player having been cut out of one table should not 
seek admission in another unless willing to cut for the privilege 
of entry. 

There are at present no oflBcial laws for any of the varieties of 
Auction, although the following were part of the oflficial code 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 139 

issued by The Whist Club of New York in 1913; they have now 
been dropped, but in the absence of anything better they are here 
reproduced. 

Three-hand Auction 

The Laws of Auction govern the three-hand game except as 
follows : 

(1) Three players take part in a game and four consti- 

tute a complete table. Each plays for himself; there 
are no partners, except as provided in Law 7. 

(2) The player who cuts lowest selects his seat and the 

cards with which he deals first. The player who cuts 
next lowest sits on the dealer's left. 

(3) The cards are dealt in four packets, one for each of the 

three players and one for the dummy. ^ The dummy 
hand is not touched until after the final declaration 
has been made. 

(4) The dealer declares, and the bidding continues as in 

Auction, except that each player bids exclusively on 
his own account. 

(5) The penalty for a declaration out of turn is that each 

of the other players receives 50 points in his honor 
score, A declaration out of turn does not affect the 
right of the player whose turn it is to declare, unless 
both he and the other player, either by passing or 
declaring, accept the improper declaration. 

(6) If a player declare out of turn, and the succeeding 

player either pass or declare, the third player may 
demand that the mistake be corrected as is provided 
in Law 5. In such case the player who first declared 
out of turn is the only one penalized. 

(7) The player making the final declaration, i.e., a declara- 

tion that has been passed by both of the others, plays 
his own hand and that of the dummy against the two 
others, who then, and for that particular hand, 
assume the relationship of partners. 
> This hand is generally dealt opposite to the dealer. 



140 AUCTION MADE EASY 

(8) It is advisable that the game be played at a round 

table so that the hand of the dummy can be placed in 
front of the declarer without obliging any player to 
move; but in the event of a square table being used, 
the two players who become the adversaries of the 
declarer should sit opposite each other, the dummy 
being opposite the declarer. 

(9) If, after the deal has been completed and before the 

conclusion of the declaration, any player expose a 
card, each of his adversaries coxmts 50 points in his 
honor score, and the declarer, if he be not the offender, 
may call upon the player on his left to lead or not to 
lead the suit of the exposed card. If a card be 
exposed by the declarer after the final declaration, 
there is no penalty, but if exposed by an adversary of 
the declarer, it is subject to the same penalty as in 
Auction. 

(10) Jf a player double out of turn, each of his adversaries 

counts 100 points in his respective honor score, and 
the player whose declaration has been doubled may 
elect whether the double shall stand. The bidding 
is then resumed, but if the double shall be disallowed, 
the declaration may not be doubled by the other 
player. 

(11) The rubber continues until two games have been won 

by the same player; it may consist of two, three, or 
four games. 

(12) When the declarer fulfills his contract, he scores as in 

Auction. When he fails to do so, both of his adver- 
saries score as in Auction, for penalties in the honor 
column. 

(13) Honors are scored by each player separately, i.e., each 

player who holds one honor scores the value of a 
trick; each player who holds two honors scores 
twice the value of a trick; a player who holds three 
honors scores three times the value of a trick; a 
player who holds four honors scores eight times the 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 141 

value of a trick; and a player who holds five honors 
f scores ten times the value of a trick. In a no-trump 

declaration, each ace counts 10, and four held by 
one player counts 100. The declarer counts sepa- 
rately both his own honors and those held by the 
dummy. 

(14) A player scores 125 points for winning a game, a further 

125 points for winning a second game, and 250 points 
for winning a rubber. The 250 is in addition to the 
125 for the rubber game. 

(15) At the end of the rubber, all scores of each player are 

added and his total obtained. Each one wins from or 
loses to each other the difiference between their 
respective totals. A player may win from both the 
others, lose to one and win from the other, or lose to 
both. 



LAWS OF DUPLICATE AUCTION BRIDGE AUTHOR- 
IZED BY THE KNICKERBOCKER WHIST CLUB, 
OF NEW YORK 

The Laws of Auction Bridge govern the play except as modi- 
fied by the following special laws: 

1. The arrow on the board in play must point north before 
a card is removed therefrom. The boards must be played in 
regular order at each table beginning with the lowest number. 

Irrequlaeities in the Hands 

2. Count the cards in each hand, both before and after playing 
each board. If, at any time, any hand contains more or less 
than thirteen cards, the course to be pursued is as follows: 

(a) When the irregularity is discovered during the original 
deal, the hand must be redealt. 

(6) When the irregularity is discovered subsequent to the 
first round and before the dummy hand is laid on the 
table, the hand must be sent back to the preceding 
table and there rectified under the direction of the 



142 AUCTION MADE EASY 

card committee. Each pair at the preceding table 
whose hands contain an incorrect number of cards 
shall be penalized fifty (50) points. 
(c) When the irregularity is discovered subsequent to the 
first round and after or during the play of the hand, 
the hands must be rectified as provided above and 
passed to the next table without further play at the 
table where the error was discovered. In such case, if 
both pairs held hands that contained an incorrect 
number of cards, they shall take average score for that 
round; if, however, the incorrect hands were held by 
one pair only, that pair shall take the lowest score and 
their opponents the highest score for that round. 

Plating the Cards 

3. Each player, when it is his turn to play, must place his card 
face upward on the table before him. The cards must be allowed 
to remain face upward on the table until all have played to the 
trick; if he or his partner win the trick, the cards should be 
trnmed over and point to his partner; otherwise they should point 
toward the adversaries. 

4. A trick is turned and quitted when all four players have 
turned and quitted their respective cards. 

5. The cards must be left in the order in which they are 
played until the score of the particular deal has been recorded. 

6. Check each score with your opponents at the comple- 
tion of each round and if correct, initial same. Scores so initialed 
as correct cannot be changed thereafter except with the consent 
of both pairs. In case an incorrect score of any round is recorded 
and initialed both pairs shall be penalized one hundred (100) 
points. 

Bidding 

7. A penalty for a bid out of turn, other than passing, shall be 
fifty (50) points in the adverse honor score. This includes a 
double or redouble out of turn. A bid out of tmrn, however, is 
void and does not affect the correct order of bidding. 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 143 

The Revoke 

8. A revoke may be claimed at any time before the first bid of 
the following board is made, or if there is no other board, before 
the score of the deal in which the revoke occm-red has been made 
up and agreed upon. Only one revoke may be claimed in any 
one hand. 

Scoring 

9. No rubbers shall be played. Any pair making 30 or 
more trick points on a single deal shall add one hundred and 
twenty-five (125) points to their honor score, as for a game 
won; but nothing shall be added for partial scores, or games 
by the aid of a previous score. 

10. No pair shall score over three hundred (300) points penalty 
on any one board. Any excess over three hundred (300) points 
shall be placed by the winning pair in their excess column. The 
losing pair, however, must bear their total loss. This limitation 
does not include the penalty for a revoke. 

11. At the completion of each round, the scores of each pair 
shall be added and the difference between them obtained. The 
pair having the higher score shall take "plus" the difference so 
obtained, and the other pair "minus" that amount. At the 
end of the game, each pair shall add up their scores of each roimd, 
and record the net total. A mistake of addition or subtraction in 
recording the net total shall be penalized fifty (50) points. 

12. The score of any pair is compared only with that of the 
other pairs who have played the same hands. A pair obtains a 
"plus" score for the contest when their net total is more than the 
average; a "minus" score for the contest when their net total is 
less than the average. The pairs having the largest net "plus" 
win the contest each way of the table. 

13. Any dispute arising as to the interpretation of these 
rules shall be referred to the card committee and their decision 
shall be final. 

Paim's Trays are the best for Duplicate Avdion and aU Duplicate 
Games 



3477-3 



